Well, this is my first fic in seven years, so I'm looking forward to what people think of it! It's been a long time, and I'm hoping that this will lead to many more stories!
The sun was beating down on the group of four as they made their way through the Yampi Desert. None of them were appropriately dressed for the trek, so the heat was starting to take its toll on them, both physically and mentally.
"Why," Jenna muttered, slouching more with each passing minute. "Why did we have to go through this stupid desert?! Wasn't there some other route we could have taken that didn't involve all this heat?!"
"The bridge to Alhafra is down. This was the only other way," Felix replied. He was barely able to keep himself more level-headed than his sister. He would often lift his hair away from his neck as though to let air pass through. "Don't worry, Jenna. It can't be much further." He wasn't entirely sure if he believed himself.
Though everyone was suffering, the one taking the worst of it was Kraden. Between his old age and his robes, the poor old man was in a far worse state than his younger traveling companions. The other three were starting to worry for his health.
As though their cries were heard, the group spotted a cave opening in the rocks when they turned the next bend. It was Sheba who noticed it first, but just as she started to say something, Kraden was already making his way to the entrance.
"I've never seen a man his age walk so quickly, especially in that state," Jenna commented. "He's got the right idea, though. Let's get some shade, too!" Felix and Sheba agreed with her, so the three followed Kraden into the cave.
It wasn't very large, but it would give them a sufficient enough place to cool down for the time being. The tunnel proceeded for an undetermined distance, but Kraden was already sitting just far enough from the entrance to feel the effects of shelter. He was fanning himself with his hand when Felix leaned against the cave wall and drank from his water flask. It was only for a few seconds before he pulled it away from his lips.
"I'm out," he said, wiping his mouth. "What about the two of you?" Jenna and Sheba shook their heads after drinking from their own flasks. "I don't understand. I thought we had more than this."
"You'd be crazy to think I'm going back out there without any water," Kraden complained.
"I'm sure we'll find an oasis soon," Jenna replied.
"No, no, no. There is no guarantee! What if we're out there for hours and don't find anything?"
"Ugh, okay, stop complaining! Maybe there's a spring a further ways in." Jenna turned on her heels and started down the tunnel.
"Wait, Jenna. Don't go alone," Felix called to her. "Sheba, go with her, will you?"
"Yeah, sure thing," she replied. Felix handed his and Kraden's flasks to her and she went to join Jenna.
"We'll be back soon!" Jenna called back. She waited just long enough for Sheba to catch up so that she was walking alongside her.
The two continued down the tunnel for a little bit. It was starting to feel like they might not find a spring, but they decided to keep going. Though the cave was definitely cooler than it was outside, the two were still fairly warm. They would need water before they could really be cooled down.
"I can't wait until we get out of this desert and get to Alhafra so that I can take a much needed bath," Jenna said.
"Yeah, same here," Sheba stuttered slightly. "I'm going to have to really scrub these clothes, too."
"Ugh, speaking of which." Jenna stopped for a moment and started to untie her vest once she had pulled off her cape. Sheba looked back at her and grew embarrassed once she saw Jenna pulling off the shirt she had underneath the vest.
"W-what are you doing?" She blushed.
"It's just the two of us here, right?"
"H-huh?!"
"I'm saying that since it is just the two of us, I don't have to feel so uncomfortable about taking a few things off to help cool down."
"Oh… right!"
"You should do the same, Sheba! I already feel a bit better." She flicked her ponytail back for a moment. Resting over Jenna's arm was the articles of clothing that she usually wore. What she was still wearing had been hiding underneath. It was a fitted, dark purple shirt made of very light material. The shirt had no sleeves, so Jenna's arms were fully exposed up to her shoulders.
"I think I'll be okay," she finally replied after looking Jenna over out of the corner of her eye. She was trying to hide the face that her face was getting redder by the moment by not facing her directly. "I'm tougher than I look."
"Hahah, I suppose so!" Jenna laughed softly. She continued down the tunnel with Sheba next to her, unaware of the few times that Sheba glanced at her. "You really hold your own in battle. I'm jealous. I wish that my Psynergy was as powerful."
"What do you mean? Your Psynergy is plenty powerful. Besides, if you are lacking anything, you're definitely making up for in physical strength. That's something that I don't really have…"
"You don't have to have physical strength to be useful, though. Not to mention that you help make Felix and I stronger." Jenna smiled. "Regardless, I'm glad that you're in our group. I think it would be boring if it was just Kraden, my brother, and I."
"Th-thanks…" Sheba blushed, again. "This is definitely more interesting than the life I lived in Lalivero." This distracted Sheba a moment as she briefly thought about her home. Her expression grew somber for only a moment before she reminded herself of why she is on this quest.
The two were walking for barely a minute more when they finally came upon a spring. They were relieved to have actually found one. After checking the water for clarity and having a few drinks, Jenna and Sheba started to fill up the flasks. When they finished, they decided to take a moment and sit by the spring, staring at the glittering water. Some light was coming through a few small openings in the ceiling and was reflecting off of the water.
"The reflections are rather pretty," Jenna said. Sheba replied with no more than an agreeing murmur as she continued to watch the lights dancing above.
Jenna reached into the spring and started to rub some of the cool water all around the front and back of her neck. Sheba tried to keep looking at the reflections and not at Jenna.
"You should do this, too," Jenna suggested. "It really helps." Sheba didn't reply, still keeping her gaze fixed on the lights. Jenna giggled to herself.
"What's so funny?" Sheba asked.
"I forgot that you're stronger than you look, so you don't need to cool down~"
"Hey, now you're just making fun of me!"
Jenna giggled again. Sheba turned away, crossing her arms and pouting. This was the perfect opportunity for an increasingly playful Jenna to quickly tap a wet finger on Sheba's neck. She immediately gave out a little yelp, jumping back slightly and holding the spot where she had been touched.
"Jenna! That was really cold!"
"You left yourself wide open!" Jenna laughed.
"You're not going to get away with that!" Sheba dipped both of her hands into the spring and brought them up, overflowing with water. She turned toward Jenna with a fire in her eyes and a mischievous smile.
"I didn't use nearly that much on you!" Jenna said, scrambling to get away.
"Don't care!" Sheba threw the water at Jenna, just barely hitting her on the back. She had lunged forward when she threw it, so she was just a few inches from Jenna now. The two laughed as they lay on the cavern floor.
"Hey, there's still some in this dip in the floor," Sheba said, reaching for the small puddle that had form from the water that missed.
"Oh, no you don't!" Jenna yelled, grabbing Sheba's wrists in an attempt to stop her. The two kept laughing as they struggled, but eventually stopped when they realized how close they were to one another. They stared at each other briefly before Sheba laughed awkwardly.
"This is like something straight out of one of those dumb love stories I've seen in some books."
"Hey, I like some of those!" Jenna whined, a little embarrassed that she had just admitted that.
"Oh, Jenna, my dear." Sheba tried not to laugh as she imitated the style of dialogue she had seen in the stories. "My love for you is as bright as these squiggly reflections."
"Sheba, we mustn't," Jenna played along. "What will everyone think?" The two said nothing as they stifled their laughter. "Hey, wait. Those reflections aren't even that bright! Some love that is!"
Jenna and Sheba couldn't contain it any more. As the two of them laughed, they slowly came to a stop as they stared at one another, realizing they still hadn't moved out of the position from before. They didn't exchange any other words and the two girls started to blush. It felt like ten minutes had passed since they had started being like this when it had only been a few.
"Jenna! Sheba!" a familiar voice called from not too far down the tunnel. The voice had broken the two from their trance. Jenna let go of Sheba and she awkwardly scooted away. Jenna quickly put her other clothes back on and the two grabbed the flasks and stood up. They glanced at each other for just a moment before Felix and Kraden walked in.
"There you two are," Felix said, giving a sigh of relief. "We were really starting to worry when you didn't come back." He looked the two of them over as Kraden walked over to the spring. "Is everything okay? You both looked rather flushed."
"It's nothing!" Jenna stuttered, putting her hands up as if that would reassure her brother.
"What's going on with your hair?"
Jenna realized that she hadn't pulled her ponytail out of her shirt when she put it back on.
"Some things just don't have explanations, you know," she said as she pulled her hair back out.
"What does that mean?"
"Aren't you glad we found this spring?" Sheba interjected. "Now that the flasks are filled and we've all had some time to cool down, we can get going."
Felix gave up and agreed with Sheba. When he and Kraden had their fill of water, the four made their way back to the entrance of the cave. Before they left the spring cavern though, Sheba smiled briefly at Jenna, thinking she was unaware that she was doing so. She was surprised when Jenna looked over at the same moment and returned the smile.