Adventures in Interning: Surveying Castimeria

The day finally came for Kaytlyn’s first official mission for the Guild. All the twelve-year-old fennec had to do was go to Castimeria and survey the local inhabitants about their feelings about the Guild’s presence on the planet. It seemed like an easy enough job, but there was one little hang-up. Kaytlyn’s guild badge wouldn’t let her through portals on her own. She needed an adult to go with her. Her mahogany-furred Clydesdale older brother Varick reluctantly agreed to escort his sister to Castimeria. 

 

“I’ll be in the market square trying to sell some excess stock,” Varick told Kaytlyn as they walked out of the guild hall. “You do your task and behave. If you leave this island, I will know, and you will be in trouble.” The sandy-furred fennec rolled her eyes as she passed a clipboard to her cape penguin companion, Franz. Varick wasn’t a fan of her working as a Guild Intern, but he could do nothing about it. She was a registered adventurer and had a job to do.

 

“I know, I know,” Kaytyln responded in annoyance. Varick was worse than their parents some days, but he was concerned about her safety. “I will stay in public areas; if anything happens, I’ll activate a beacon.” As the fennec ran off, her red, orange, and yellow robes glistened in the midday sun. 

 

A Wildflower festival was happening, so there was no shortage of native Castimerians to survey. The colorful quadrupedal butterfly-faced natives were more than happy to share their opinions on the presence of the Guild. Most thought it was a good thing as it brought more people to the planet to celebrate the Wild Flowers. A small portion thought the portal should shut down and the Guild removed from the planet as not everyone that visited shared a reverence with nature. Per agreement with Varick, everyone who completed a survey received a coupon for his shop.

 

“Madam, we have surveyed fifty people already. Perhaps it is time for a break,” Franz suggested in his posh accent as he waddled alongside Kaytlyn. “Maybe get a snack and some tea.” After quickly checking her Guild per diem, the fennec agreed. A nearby stall sold the fragrant sweet tea that was a signature drink of the planet and honey cookies. Kaytlyn bought one of each for herself and Franz. They sat on a bench to enjoy their break when someone started shouting.

 

“Stop! Thief,” a voice called as a figure ran by with a bag that dropped a few gold coins as they sped by. Kaytlyn immediately leapt up with Franz. The fennec used a penguin companion as a power battery for her druid powers to turn the flowers in nearby planters to erupt into strangling vines. Carefully, Kaytlyn weaved the vines into a wall that trapped the thief before he could get any further. 

 

“You want to surrender, or will Brick Brick need to get involved,” Kaytlyn asked as she held her earth elemental brick. Despite being only three foot nine and a half, the short fennec did her best to look intimidating. As she approached, Kaytlyn could see that the would-be thief was a blue-scaled lizard folk wearing dark leather armor.

 

“Youse thinksss you can threaten me with a bricksss,” the reptilian humanoid hiss as he pulls a dagger from his belt. Kaytlyn shrugged and threw the brick with as much force as the fennec could. Franz briefly glows a strange green color that also envelops Brick Brick. The projectile flies hard and fast into the thief’s face, instantly knocking the lizardfolk out cold. Kaytlyn used more of her druidic magic to change the vine wall into restraints for the villain to hold him into place until authorities could arrive.

 

“Thank you so much for stopping that thief,” the Castimerian native praised Kaytlyn as she returned the money to the ceebi stand. Colorful cat-sized bee creatures floated around inside a large cage. Each looked like a furry bee of many colors with cat-like feet and bee wings; occasionally, a long tongue flicked out to lap up the nectar from feeders in the pen. “As a reward, please take one a friend with you. I won’t let you tell me no, so please don’t argue.” Kaytlyn had no intention to argue as she wasn’t opposed to claiming her quest reward, especially if it was one of these cuties. 

 

After looking around the pen for a bit, Kaytlyn picked out a pink and green ceebi that reminded her of a flower from Pavia. The fennec decided to name her new friend Dahlia. With her new friend floating along behind on a leash, Kaytlyn resumed her job of surveying the Castilian people. The survey results were clear when the sun began to set. Most of the native inhabitants enjoyed being in a Guild world, while only a small percentage didn’t like it. Kaytlyn returned to Varick’s stall as he finished packing it back up.

 

“Oh good, you didn’t make me hunt you down,” the blonde Clydesdale breathed a sigh of relief. “Why do you have a celeb?” Varick was familiar with the pollinators but wasn’t expecting his sister to have one on a leash.

 

“It was a gift from a breeder that I helped,” Kaytlyn smiled purposely, omitting all the details. “Just another perk of being the best Guild Intern.”

 

“You’re the only guild intern,” the brown horse shot back at his sister.

 

“Which would make her the best,” Franz cut in before taking a sip from a martini that Varick swore wasn’t there moments before. He was about to point out the flaw in that logic but decided it wasn’t worth the aggravation to argue with a penguin.

 

“Come on,” Kaytlyn pleaded as she walked to the Guild Hall. “We must get home so Mom and Dad can meet, Dahlia. Mom will love having someone who can pollinate her flowers for her.” Kaytlyn had completed her first job, and once the fennec filed the report, she was a few steps closer to achieving her mission to help the Guild in any way possible.