I do not own Claymore.

Crossroads

By Moonlith

…50, 51, 52, 53, 54…

huff, huff, huff

…55..56..57…

huff, huff, huff

…58…59…60

HUFF, HUFF, HUFF

Exhausted, Sid collapsed against the cold cobblestone floor of the training quarters. He already had a full nightshift of guard duty behind him, but since one of the fellow guardsmen had been stricken by a high fever all of a sudden, it fell upon him to be the backup. "You're so young and full of energy, of course it's all but providence that you get to go through the trial of sacrificing your rest in place of your elders", they had told him. But now, lying on the cold and damp floor, having the countless crumbs of stone that paved it biting his skin and the sweat of sixty pushups cooling on his body, Sid would've given much and a tad more for a warm bed and a chance to shove the smug smile of his boss down his throat.

He had reckoned that a good workout early in the morning would suffice to shake off the impending weariness, but even as his lighter routine of exercise felt more laborious than usual, it only added to his frustration. Reciting all the curses he could utter from his panting, he pushed himself up one more time, wiped the moisture off his body with the rag he'd been hanging from his hip and proceeded to the washing rooms.

The said facilities could not be described as the height of luxury. In the middle of the round-shaped room was a single well from which the men could draw the water for their cleansing. Surrounding the well was a stony grating which led to the sewers, the floor being otherwise completely bare. Green threads of slimy mold spreading across the walls served as the sole grotesque decoration, and the occasional sound of water dropping from the ceiling complemented the overall atmosphere of a dungeon.

Nevertheless, Sid was bothered by none of this. As no one else was there besides him, it meant that he could have all the available utilities to himself. Thus he dunk the wooden bucket lying beside the well into the water, raised it above his head and readied himself to welcome the blissful sensation of a hot shower..

...only to find that the substance pouring over him was as frigid as the snow in Alfons in the dead of winter.

In the midst of the following shock, Sid could identify the mocking laughter of his comrades issuing from the direction of the chamber's doorway.

"You didn't look quite brisk enough back there, so we decided to offer our help by saving the most refreshing portion all for you!", came the collective taunt.

In a desperate attempt to gain payback for their ill jest, Sid flung the bucket at his tormentors with all the might he could muster. While crouching on his knees and trying to steady his jammed breath, he could confirm from the corner of his eye that the effort had gone to waste; the bucket clacked against the quickly shutting door and the noises of laughter retreated further away into the background.

The day was indeed off to a promising start.

All morning long Sid spent patrolling the streets and restoring law and order wherever either was offended. Phoneys dressed as clergymen selling homemade and false indulgences, early day drunkards and beggars that needed to be cleaned out of the public eye and, in the more glaring cases, young monks being seduced by harlots. Such a sight could easily prompt the folks to lose their faith and scratch the image of the church, thus needing especial attention. And in the event that his duties weren't called for at any of these stations, his superiors would most assuredly find him apt as their errand boy.

But as the bells of the town's cathedral tolled, summoning the devoted and indifferent alike for a joint moment of prayer, the general midday commotion finally eased up. Not wanting the chance for a brief pause to slip by, Sid made his way to the top of the town's ramparts and slumped against its edging. Resting his chin in his hand, he let his gaze sweep through the scenery of crisscrossing alleyways of Rabona underneath, the barren wilderness beginning outside the city's walls and the greener lands further off in the horizon.

A sudden burst of excited voices right in the street below caught his attention. A group of rejoicing children was happily buzzing around one of the sisters of the local convent. A quick glance was enough for Sid to discern the exact identity of the nun in question; tall, lean and elegant posture marked her apparent strength superior to most women, while the graceful finesse in her movements and features spoke of a feminine beauty of which yet again few specimen of her gender could claim to be no jealous of.

Galatea, was it? Sid recalled while watching in dumb fascination as the said woman bent over to allow one of the children an access into her open arms, a process during which the cloth of her robes tightened in places, nuzzling against her backside and deliciously bringing into full view the godlike curves of...

"I must commend you for your taste in women, my good sir, but may I remind you that you are on your guard duty at the moment."

At the abrupt speech on his side, Sid swung his head to the direction of the voice and found a tall cloaked man of strong build standing only inches away from him. With an instinct gained through years of combat training and experience, he threw the stranger to the ground, twisted his arm behind his back and began an initial interrogation while holding the unknown man firmly in place:

"WHO ARE YOU? WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS HERE?!"

But even as Sid barked the questions at the intruder, he could recognize something familiar in the man's features. Presently the gears of his distant memory were set in motion, and an image of a youth far from the past flashed in his mind. That same mess of sandy hair, now slightly longer and tamed from its former spikiness to a downward slant. Those same brown eyes with a scar above the left one, still holding their usual glint of mirth and determination. And accompanying that jovial look was a sly and carefree smirk stretching across his lips, speaking of a mischief to come.

"RA-!"

Before Sid could voice his surprise by exclaiming the lost name that had just dawned to him, the now identified young man made use of his captor's momentary lack of focus and turned the tables. In a short series of incredibly agile movements, he wrested himself free from the shocked sentinel's already loosened grip, took hold of the collar of his uniform and slammed him on the same spot he himself had only seconds ago been lying. Dumbfounded, Sid now looked from a reversed angle at the man hovering above him. No evil intent appeared on his easygoing countenance, however, and so Sid continued to stare in aghast and listened as the reappeared acquaintance from so many years ago opened his mouth to speak:

"That's right. It is me, Raki, your loyal fellow and still at your service. And since we're well on the way of presenting questions, how about you tell me, Sid of Rabona, was that any way of greeting an old friend?"

As Raki resumed his greeting, he laid off his grasp of the other man and held out his hand to help him up. The expression on Sid's face turned from pure astonishment to that of extreme joy with a touch of cheerful irritation. Accepting the offered help, he yanked himself up with a burst of laughter and wrapped his arm around Raki's head. Without holding back in strength, he let his feelings show by connecting his knuckles with the youth's hair and rubbing it thus with all due love and affection. The act aroused an exasperated yet heartfelt yelp from the other man, and soon the two were engaged in a series of mutual bickering.

Their ceremonious reunion was interrupted, however, as a sound of clattering footsteps approached them. Turning their heads, Sid and Raki were met with a sight of a heavily armored older sentinel jogging towards them. An extensive scar running across the right side of his face suggested of a personal history full of battles, while the board and knit brows radiated grim reservation and readiness brought by high age.

"We heard a commotion loud enough to alarm the whole platoon. What in the Holy Mother's name is going on in here?" He inquired in a tone heavy with annoyance.

"Hold your peace, old man. What's up, you ask..." Sid cut his explanation for a moment to poke his friend playfully before continuing:

"One hell of a bratty kid you might remember has come back and, unbelievable as it is, seems to have grown up a bit. That's what's going on."

Curious by the unusual introduction, Galk took a closer look at the young man standing beside his long-term partner. An upward arch of eyebrows and a slight gape of mouth signaled that the first waves of recognition had washed through him, and slowly the hard and weather-beaten features of his aging face melted into a genuinely warm smile.

"Welcome back."

After the formalities between them had passed, Sid was excused from his work in order to show the returning newcomer around the town. As Raki was already familiar with the place from his earlier trip six years ago, no necessity was involved in such a procedure. But since it provided a plausible pretext for Sid to take off a couple of extra hours as well as a good opportunity for both of them to rewind the events of the time passed, neither opposed the idea. When they had walked the streets for a while amongst the noisy crowd, whose indifference towards the pair seemed to create a vacuum of sorts around them, Sid found the time ripe to open the tap of questions that burned in his mind.

"So, where have you been all this time, really?" He began. It was rather lame and obvious start, he knew, but it was also the one question most desperately in need of answer in his priority.

The reply he received, however, was far from what he could've considered as satisfactory:

"Oh, well. Here and there."

"Aw, come on! Here I am doing you a favor by being your personal travel guide, and you can't even thank me by giving a few juicy details about your adventures?" Sid retorted, with a pang of anger coloring his tone.

"A favor? Given the situation that you got yourself a free break and I have to pay for it by accepting your company, it looks to me like the favor is on your side." Came the teasing response.

"Why, you-!" Sid was about to curse, but was quickly cut off by Raki, who understood he had kept the play going on long enough.

"Peace. So you want to know where I've been, eh? Well as far as I'm considered I already answered that. But since you clearly aren't happy with my both inclusive and summarizing report, I shall try again. After I left this town, my trek took me gradually village by village towards the lands of the north. For a while I dwelt there, until some years ago I began my journey back in the same kind of slow manner. And, well, here I am." He concluded with a casual shrug.

"You mean...you went all the way up to Alfons? Wow, that certainly is something. How the heck did you manage that?"

"What? You don't believe in my abilities of traveling? That's rude!" Raki answered, pretending to be surprised and offended.

" A kid like you? Nah, I can't imagine you pulling it off by yourself, that's for sure."

If Sid's last comments were meant as challenging insults, it soon became clear that he hadn't succeeded. For in that instant the features of the other man were mounted by unmistakable tenderness and warmth which extended to his following words:

"Indeed. Even though the road was dark and dangerously winding at times, never once was I truly alone. In up- and down hills alike I had kindred companions by my side, and for that I'm truly grateful."

At the queer-sounding words of his friend, Sid was momentarily rendered speechless. Sensing that seeking further clarification would've most probably been pointless, he decided to shift his enquiries elsewhere:

"I…I see. But what, by all means, were you doing up there behind God's back?"

"Ah, about that. Hmm...I guess you could say it was partly a journey of my coming of age, so to speak."

"Right…"

As Sid addressed the explanation received with a confused murmur, the conversation between them grew to an awkward halt. Continuing to walk, one of the two kept a leisurely pace while wearing his usual look of content ease, and the other pondered deeply upon all he had heard. When the silence was prolonged, Sid eventually took the initiative to break the stalemate. Grabbing Raki suddenly by the shoulder, he stopped the other man on his tracks and confronted him with a straight look in the eye.

"Raki, listen. I hear you've spent time with people and been to places utterly strange to me, but I want you to know you yourself are no stranger here. There are people in this town who have really kept you in their memories and consider your return a pleasant surprise, me and Galk included. So once again, welcome back."

During the brief silence that followed, both men were slightly startled in their own right. Raki, recognizing in the other's tone of voice the kind of soft timbre he never thought he'd hear from him, had to consider himself positively taken aback. And Sid, who had experienced first a major surprise at the reappearance of someone he didn't believe to be ever seeing again and then extreme shock at the drastic change that had occurred in him, found himself both relieved and embarrassed for being able to finally dress in words what he'd meant to express all day. All the transformations in Raki from the boy he recalled to the man standing in front of him had made him doubtful whether he indeed was the same person at all, causing an odd tension to build up within him every moment he spent with the other man.

Understanding Sid's slight discomfort at his own intense words, Raki opted to dispel the anxiety with a jest:

"Aye, I share the feeling m'friend. But why so formal all of a sudden, hm? Has the military discipline finally got into you or what, pumpkin head?"

Pumpkin head!? Keh, so he still clings on to that same old crap. Some things never change, I guess.

"Hmph. Can it, brat. That kind of disrespect for the elder should be done away with, and I as your senior would be pleased to take it upon myself to beat some sense into you. I've got my training session coming up in a bit, so how about it? You wanna show me if that sword of yours is just to boost your ego or if you're actually any good with it?" Sid presented his challenge, inspired by the boastful way in which his friend carried the broadsword on his back.

The corner of the other man's mouth curving into a wry grin, he accepted the invitation without delay:

"In case you're ready to have your incompetence thrown at your face, then it is well."

Before the two men went for their appointed duel they had decided to pay a visit to the town's mighty cathedral. Raki had insisted it, remembering the old and endearing face of father Vincent and the great help he had been in the events of six years ago. And as they met the aged priest in the middle of the magnificent stone pillars and cold marble stares of the lifeless statues, the looks that the returning youth received from his old acquaintance were of the same surprise and delight that Raki had gotten used to that day. Although the busy clergyman was short of time at the moment, he still delivered his blessings upon the youth with the utmost sincerity and good will.

A few moments later, Sid and Raki stood facing each other with drawn swords in their hands. They were at the inner court of the town's defense forces' territory, and all around them the guardsmen and other soldiers were having their combat practice. Thus the air was filled with sounds of clattering blades, panting of exertion and groans of frustration. Both of them were wearing their customary armor, Raki his light mail shirt and various pads on his hips, shoulders and arms, while Sid was contended with a pair of shorts and a flexible black shirt alone to allow him his agile and fast paced style of fight.

The staring contest between them had been going on for a while now, and not wanting to let the atmosphere grow tense, Raki went for the invitation:

"Ready when you are."

Without bothering to come up with another witty verbal response, Sid leaped forward into attack.

Surprised by the sudden initiative, Raki moved his sword just barely in time to block the upward slash of his opponent. Quickly recovering from the shock, he twisted himself around away from Sid's blade and made an attempt to strike at his side.

Sid, noticing the moves of the other and calculating the course of his offence, shifted his sword instinctively to parry the coming assault.

The impact that followed the connection of their blades sent them both backwards, bringing the first round of their friendly match to an end. The ensuing standstill was used by both men to analyze the strength of the other, and when Raki had caught his breath, he in turn was the one to resume the fight by switching into offensive.

In a few quick strides he approached Sid and brought down his weapon, raised far above his head, with such force that blocking it drove the older man to his knees, holding Raki's broadsword at bay mere inches away from his face. When the strain began to grow too great, Sid was forced into action. He took the risk of losing the match by focusing his attention on one single sweep of his leg in an endeavor to trip up the other man.

The effort paid off, for even though Raki saw the trick coming, he had to jump into the air in order to avoid it and thus lost his momentum. And in the split second that he needed to recover after landing again, Sid had seen his opportunity and decided to use it. Taking advantage of Raki's ever so slight off balance, he delivered a hard kick as fast as lightning square into his midsection. As Raki flew across the yard and slammed onto his back, Sid surged immediately after him and soon had the tip of his blade resting on the youth's throat.

"Done now, are we?" Sid taunted, knowing that the only option his younger sparring partner had was to surrender.

But surprisingly enough, Raki had other ideas. In the moment Sid opened his mouth and loosened his caution, Raki made an incredibly fast backward somersault and kicked Sid's sword away from his hands in the process. While Sid stood rooted on the spot, disarmed and flabbergasted, Raki utilized his crouched position. He pushed off with all the strength he had in his legs, ramming into Sid and knocking him over all the while holding onto his own sword. In just a few instants the situation was reversed as Raki was now lying on his adversary, pressing his blade against the skin underneath his lower jaw.

"Yes, I'd say we're done." Raki said smugly in supposed victory.

"Oh, so you readily agree that you've lost? How sportsmanlike!"

For a moment Raki was utterly lost in trying to understand what the other man, who was lying under him unarmed and with no hope to escape, was talking about. Just then he felt a light sensation at the lower part of his body, and directing his gaze there, he found one of Sid's smaller trademark knives pricking the area of his abdomen.

"...I thought we agreed to spar with swords alone." Raki said, extreme embarrassment and suppressed anger coloring his defensive words.

Recognizing the mental defeat in the voice of his friend, Sid pouted his lips and allowed himself a devilish smile as he replied:

"Oh, I guess so. Well then, how about we call it a draw? Good. Now get the hell off of me."

Without a word, Raki did as he was told.

"Ahh, now that was really something. I'd say a good match like this calls for a drink or two in celebration. Follow me."

Still struggling with the abashment inflicted upon him, the youth could do naught but obey.

"Raki, there's something I've been meaning to ask you all day", Sid began on a conversation, hoping to find an answer to a mystery that had disturbed him since they had left for their downtown tour.

They were sitting at a corner table in one of the local taverns, neither too snobby nor cheap but cosy and modest by its general layout. Several windows and torches that lined the walls brought proper illumination while the the scents of sweet pinewood and savory dishes prepared in the kitchen took care of the overall homey atmosphere. As most of the common townsfolk were still bound to their daily labors, customers were yet few and thus the two were allowed to converse in an agreeable privacy.

Seeing that his companion wasn't going to proceed without his consent, Raki had to acknowledge his words verbally: "What is it?"

"That girl who has been following you like a shadow all this time...just who is she? An inconvenient consequence of your other kind of adventures, perhaps?" Sid asked, nodding towards a little girl sitting next to Raki and sleeping soundly against his shoulder.

The strange girl had been treading on their trail wherever they had gone that day, starting from the massive ramparts in the morning to the outside training quarters only moments ago. Sid had noticed her right away, but since she had kept a good distance and didn't seem to act threateningly, he had let the matter be. But when she had stubbornly continued tailing them, Sid's suspicions were awakened. Believing Raki to explain her presence any minute, he had kept his cool about the issue. But when the child finally approached them openly at the inn and still Raki acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, Sid was once again forced to press the other man for answers.

"Oh, you must mean Priscilla. No, she is not mine. Originally, she is a close relative of one of the people who aided me in my journeys. I'm only returning the favor by acting as her guardian for now." He explained in a reasonable manner, albeit all too casually for Sid to be convinced about the truth of his words.

"A relative's kid, you say. Hmm...must be quite the carefree parent to let his own brat wander off with an airhead like you, if you ask me. And what's with that quietness of hers, is she mute or something? Or have you taught her that so she wouldn't slip up anything you'd like to conceal? And what about..."

Sid was obliged to cut himself off as he saw the darkening expression of the man sitting across from him. Understanding that the subject was not open to friendly discussion, he decided to contend himself with the offered account.

"Feh, whatever! Keep the secrets of you and your sick harem all to yourself, for all I care."

Although the glare that the younger man sent his direction was piercing with anger, Sid did not fail to notice the look of unspoken gratitude mixed in it.

Even if Sid was yet again left with a feeling of not hearing the whole of it, the previous issue of the girl gave him an idea for another question worth of a query:

"Speaking of which, what has become of the wench you were so earnestly tagging along with back then? Gosh, now that I think about it, I wouldn't have minded at all if it had been her pretty face instead of your ugly mug breathing in my neck earlier today. We could've continued where we left off that time without you yapping around in the way, heh heh." Sid provoked, raising the cup of liquor he'd been holding to his mouth.

If Sid had been attempting to liven up the conversation from the recess it had fallen into, he couldn't have failed more miserably. For the first time that day the face of the other man became clouded by a somber look, and in his answer could be heard the slightest burden of sorrow:

"Not very long after we left this town, the two of us got separated. I haven't seen her in six years."

The liquid Sid had been about to swallow spurted out of his mouth and flew in a linear torrent right into the face of his unfortunate friend.

"Um...why, thank you. I appreciate your hospitable gesture to share a drink with me, but I would prefer if it wasn't sampled in your mouth beforehand. If I may be so rude as to make the humble request, that is."

Awkward as it was, the bizarre shower did serve to wash off what little gloom Raki's features had gained, for his response came off again in a tone of genuine amusement. But despite the pang of shame Sid felt over his blunder, he could not let the matter be brushed off with a few sarcastic words alone. Offering Raki his napkin to wipe the mixture of alcohol and spittle off his face, Sid queried for further details, this time making sure not to let any kind of malice slip into his voice.

Seemingly the urge for proper explanation was understood by Raki as well, for this time the young man did not seek to confuse his interrogator with redundant vagueness.

"We were caught up in a battle that made our staying together way too dangerous, and thus we decided to part ways temporarily. However, things went awry for both of us after that and as it now appears, that temporarily has taken quite a stretch."

As Raki came to a close with his debriefing, an agreed silence was set over the scene, during which both men contemplated on what had passed. Eventually Sid was the first to find a way to proceed as the pieces had slowly began to fall into place in his mind:

"Could this have something to do with why you've roamed these lands to and fro non-stop these past years?"

"Yes. To be frank, that has been the main objective of my travels all this time. However, I haven't simply wandered around aimlessly. Since I had very few clues to her whereabouts to begin with, I came up with a basic plan to follow the same track we traveled, only backwards this time."

"...aaand that's why you've come here now, since the two of you were here together all those years ago?"

"Yes. Which brings me to the reason why I'm especially excited to see you. Since it was you who asked me about Clare in the first place, I think it's safe to assume you haven't seen her and thus she probably hasn't been here. But nevertheless, you can still be of some help. In case she happens to stop by, would you just tell her that I'm alive and looking for her in the way I explained you?"

"Will do." Was all that Sid could utter in response. The sudden boost of vigor in the other man's entire essence, the excitement with which he communicated the plans concerning his search for a single woman, and most of all, the fact that he was even indulging in such a quest had made him unable to comprehend his friend in the slightest.

"Well then. Since I have already abused your hospitality long enough and I see it is getting late, I think it's about time I took my leave. Goodbye and thank you for everything."

The clatter of Raki's chair as he suddenly got up and the brisk parting words he bid shook Sid out of his reverie. Immense stupefaction was evident as he hurried to exclaim at the already retreating back of the youth:

"H-hey! You can't just leave like that, you haven't even paid for your...!"

But fortune seemed to be against Sid this time, for shout as he might, his frantic words were soon drowned in an even louder commotion. A crowd was gathered around the entrance of the inn, and fixing his attention there, he found the cause for the disturbance to be the same beautiful nun he and Raki had admired in unison earlier that day. After arriving in their midst a year ago and taking up the name of sister Latea as a member of the local convent, the mysterious beauty had won the hearts of everyone in the town. And as her melodious voice began to ring over the common murmur, Sid found himself involuntarily checking the locks of his hair.

"Good evening, my dear ladies and gentlemen. I am here merely to collect any alms you might have to spare for the good of the orphans, that is all. Please do not overly inconvenience yourselves."

As the beloved sister of faith moved about, even most of the poorer folk found at least a copper coin to drop into the container she was holding out. Receiving her thankful blessings in return, the assembled commoners began to depart with an odd sense of fulfillment blooming in their chest. It was not long before the dignified nun arrived at the spot Sid and Raki were standing, and both men could feel themselves tensing up. This time it was Raki who found his voice first, and in a carefully composed output he proceeded to the obliged gentlemanly courtesies:

"M'lady...had I all the treasures of the world in my possession, I doubt it could fare in comparison to the beauty of your work...and yourself."

Had they been able to see underneath the hood that concealed sister Latea's face, they would've noticed an eyebrow of the surprised nun arching up.

"Oh my, do we have a gallant one for ourselves here. But tell me, my good sire, might you have a bera or two at your disposal the same way you seem to have fine words?" The sister challenged in a tone of playful amusement, jingling the container in her hand.

"Why, certainly!" Exclaimed the youth, offering her the money he had intended as the payment for his share of the evening's entertainment.

Sid could only watch in awe as the other man accepted the thanks for his donation, promptly gave his final bows, and without further delays made his way to the exit. As the double doors of the tavern swung closed after the man who had left, Sid was finally shaken from his daze as he sprung after his the outbound visitor.

"Just hold it right there, pal!" He cried out, but the youth did not heed his demand anymore. Sid took a deep breath to try one more time, but in the end the shout died in his throat when he heard the voice of sister Latea calling from further back:

"Come, now. It seems the beverages were not to your friend's liking, for he left his drink untouched. Quite convenient, because my throat is indeed a bit dry after the hot day. So, are you going to leave a blind lady all alone to help herself?"

Sid was torn between jumping right after the invitation and seeking to exchange proper farewells with his departing friend. He took a long last look at the tall figure walking towards the westering sun, absently noting the smaller form of the little girl treading beside him. Turning his gaze back to the engaging nun inside, his decision was made quickly. To hell with him.

"As you were saying..."

A/N: The seeds for this fic were sown the moment I read in the 80th chapter of the manga that Raki had indeed visited Rabona near the end of the 7-year- timeskip. My mind just immediately plunged into thinking what kind of stuff might have happened at the re-encounter of these two characters, and now it's all on paper here. I had a bit of a struggle in starting to write this, but once I got things really rollin', I ended up having quite a few fun moments with this story. Turned out a bit longer than I expected, but yeah...hope it didn't bore you to death.

Moonlith