A/N: Don't you just HATE when you're visiting relatives and all of a sudden you get inspiration to make a story with absolutely NO plot and you go to do so because of some unknown force but upon making it to your Advanced Writing Technology Of Buttons And Clicky Devices (a.k.a. Laptop) you find it dead? D: I know I do. (Please note that Utsuro is running on very little sleep at 2:15 in the morning, and therefore anything written here is nonsense)
Disclaimer: Don't own GC~
One shot: The Matchmaker
Stumbling over branches and pushing through the heavy foliage of a deep forest near the outskirts of a place known Silver Cross Town, a small, violet haired girl was slowly making her way through the woods. A cream coloured and red-tipped bird flew in front of her, perching upon tree branches when it decided the girl had fallen too far behind. The sky- by that time of day a hazy red- was darkening at a fair pace, and the girl pouted lightly as she noticed.
"Just great... I knew going to the Silver Cross Assassin's Guild today was a bad idea... I-I won't even have time to collect silver hermessian herbs before I get back." She muttered to herself, eyeing the nearing storm clouds with disdain, "Not to mention that it looks like it's going to rain." Biting her lip, she sighed.
"Well... I hope no one gets lost tonight, at least." Pulling her cloak closer around her as a breeze passed her, a small, sad smile came to her lips.
"But it was worth going to the guild today... I don't know what I would have done if I didn't know... That..." Pausing momentarily, her gaze fell to the ground as she recalled the day's events.
Standing nearby a dirty grey building, the violet haired girl swirled the contents of a vial she held in her hand and watched the sinister looking structure closely. A few more minutes... Her heart raced uncomfortably- it always did while she was waiting there. Waiting for him. Almost... Her thoughts stopped as she finally caught sight of who she was looking for, and the girl clenched the vial in her hands reflexively.
A silver haired boy had appeared from one of the nearby streets, his posture stating disinterest with the area. It was his eyes, she had decided long ago, that chilled those he looked at. The boy appeared to simply know things- He almost immediately took in the area around him, and he seemed as though through a look he could tell anything he wanted about a person. It scared most; that much was obvious. To the magician, however, it was more interesting than anything- perhaps even the reason she was there that very day.
She waited quietly until he disappeared in front of the large gate in the front- a measure to make sure none could enter the guild without permission, then uncorked the bottle and quickly downed the contents. Yes, it was an extremely secured area filled with thieves, assassins and strikers- essentially the most feared people in Ellia. That mattered little; it was far from flawless.
Holding out her hand in front of her, the amethyst eyed girl waited patiently as the potion took it's effect. Soon the ground was perfectly visible through her skin, and the girl spun around to make sure her disguise had completely worked. Perfect, as usual! This invisibility potion really does work... Once she felt certain the girl conjured up an image of a place she had been several times before, and after one quick blink she was pleased to find herself in the courtyard of the guild.
Teleporting is fine today too... There wasn't much further to go. The area was filled with training dummies and things of the likes that the magician manoeuvred through, thankful yet somewhat surprised that none of the assassins were practising. Even if it is meeting time... Usually a few skip. She knew that well- she had nearly been hit by a kunai or sword several times after teleporting into the area. Perhaps that was also a part of what had made her come back- the feeling of risk always had her heart racing.
Deciding to ponder the emptiness of the training ground at a later time, the violet haired girl quickly made her way around to the left side of the grey building, and glanced at the pile of miscellaneous objects. Old swords lay there was well as broken scimitars and claws, destroyed dummies and pots. What she was looking for, however, was an object that lay brokenly against the heap. The nearly ruined ladder was hefted up carefully, and the girl lay it against the side of the building as quietly as she could manage.
I really hope no one heard that... It was probably the most jarring part of sneaking into the area, though it was much worse when there were assassins in the area. The dull thud of the ladder hitting the wall sounded as though it hadn't been noticed, and the violet haired girl sighed in relief. She shook the base of the ladder gently before beginning to climb it, taking one cautious step at a time until she found herself on the roof. A small building stood in the centre, though the lilac-coloured girl knew it was safe to approach. Two large windows were featured on either side of the building and provided a good look of the room below, while grates allowed the audio from below to quietly carry up. These features were made to allow fresh air to circulate and light to reach inside; they instead provided a perfect place for the girl to sit and watch the meeting of the assassins.
When the violet haired girl looked in the room she was surprised to see the mere mass of assassins inside; much more than had been there most days. She looked around uncomfortably and made a quick check for extra security, but when she could find one the girl scoped the room again. Her eyes landed upon the boy she had watched enter the building after several moments of searching, and she felt her heartbeat speeding up again.
"It's terrible that I do this..." She whispered almost silently, though she couldn't stop the smile that was growing on her face. She knew she should have had guilt for coming and for pretty much spying on them on a rather regular basis, but the girl couldn't find it in herself to feel anything other than excitement.
What's going on today? The group was much more silent than usual, and the female sat quietly, feeling terribly confused. A podium had been erected in the centre of the stage, and an elderly man with a blade attached to his waist stood there. From previous times visiting she knew who he was- a leader who was terribly powerful despite his frail, old structure.
"Now, I trust we're all here?" The girl jolted lightly as he began speaking, and her eyes locked onto him quickly, though they glanced back to the silver haired boy when they could. He was also watching the leader at the podium, a look of respect on his face that was reserved for very few.
"You should all know what our meeting is about today... I have told you all of the Knight Master's call for able-bodied soldiers. We may be thieves, but we have dignity and pride. We will not watch our valiant country fall prey to the evils of Kaze'Aze... We shall raise arms with our brethren and strike quickly to defeat the enemy!" A cheer filled the room, though with a raise of the man's hand everything fell silent once more.
"Though for this particular mission a team must be formed. A team of elites... And for this team the Knight Master has requested we choose one from our ranks to join the group known as the Grand Chase." An almost uneasy silence had fallen, many of the people in the room seeming tense.
"I'm not as I once was, or I would certainly take the task upon myself. I must admit that my time has come and passed... The time is upon us to choose a new representative." The man took a breath, leaning over his stand.
"I've watched you all closely over the last month- your progress, your triumphs, and of course, your failures. I've observed your teamwork with one another and your mastery of all of your weapons of choice, your ability to deal with obstacles out of your usual. I've seen all of you train vigilantly, and I assure you all of your hard work will pay off. There is one of you, however... His skills far surpass the average, and at his age he has shown extraordinary observation. I can say with complete confidence that I feel that Lass outlines the ideal candidate for this position. Please rise, young striker." The girl felt herself lose her breath as she watched the silver haired boy she had been looking at stand, no hint of surprise on his face. That, perhaps, could also have been a part of his facade- She couldn't remember seeing much other than his calm expression, even in the midst of training.
"Lass, if you choose to accept this mission you shall have to be prepared to leave tomorrow to take a ship from the coast over to Bermesiah. From there you will travel to the Serdin Castle, where you will meet the Knight Master and the other candidates for the chase. You shall embark on a great journey, and you'll make comrades. You'll fight incredible battles, and protect many people, but... If you should choose to accept, you must also accept the chance that you shall never return. At the least you shall be gone for months, not to see anyone you know... Possibly never again. Evan Striper Lass, do you accept this position?" Evan Striper... The more formal term for a Striker. She remembered this from one of her previous times visiting, and her mind pointlessly rambled off facts in her head to keep herself from thinking of the imminent problem. If he goes... If he goes, I may never see him again. Biting her lip, she forced herself to keep paying attention to the ceremony. Lass had bowed down, and the mage couldn't see his expression.
"If that is what my leader requests of me, I shall go." He replied calmly, staying bowed. The elderly man chuckled.
"So formal... Lass, I know you haven't though of how this will affect you yet... Putting the guild's wishes and my words ahead of your every need. You are still young... Rise. Armed with my very own blade, I expect you shall represent the Silver Cross Assassins with all of your might." The blade was pulled from the elder's belt, and as Lass rose it was held out to him.
The watching girl turned away, taking a deep breath and leaning her head against the wall. What do I do? What is there to do in a situation like this? Sitting there, she couldn't deny how much she wished Lass hadn't been chosen. It's the best for him, but... Is it so wrong to just want a chance to get to know him before I lose him? Sighing, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. I mean... I've never even spoke to him personally before, I've just...Anger rose up in her chest- anger directed at herself.I don't know him, but I'm selfishly wishing for him to lose this opportunity? I'm the worst... With another sigh she closed her eyes again tightly, conjuring up the image of a familiar forest. When she opened them she was standing in front of the pictured woods, the sidtri sitting in a nearby tree and watching her with confusion matching her own.
"Well, I just need to think about this logically... Is there any other way?" Two thoughts came to her mind- both were almost laughable.
"Signing up for the Grand Chase... If that's not a bad idea, I don't know what is... I'm not a good magician." These words were mumbled, and she sighed.
"Well... Skill wise, I suppose so, but... I've done too many things. I wonder how many people I've hurt so far? If they knew... They'd turn me away in an instant." Looking down at the ground, she narrowly avoided stumbling over a root as the sky began rumbling. The bird flying in the branches squawked it's warning about the weather's near changing, and the girl nodded.
"You can fly ahead, Sidtri, we're almost there anyway!" The bird stared at her for a moment before swaying it's head up and down, turning ahead and shooting out of sight before she could say another word. The girl smiled, and her head fell down to the vial in her hand again.
"And of course... There's always that option, but... No." biting her lip, she kept her eyes focused forward. It wasn't the first time she had had that argument with herself, though she had repeatedly dismissed the idea.
"Still... It would be so much easier that way..." But I can't. I promised myself I wouldn't, it just... Wouldn't be fair to him. Her heart was aching, and she threw the small vial away out of frustration. She had reached a rather thick wall of vines and ivy, though with a simple sway of her hand they split to allow her through. Looking at the sky again she pinned them in place with magic, continuing down the path. Might as well leave the gates open now... It's too late to bother coming out in a few minutes just to open them again. Past the vine and ivy archway the trees appeared to get more dense, and they were closer to the path. This made it so it was quite apparent there was only one way to go- the way that the magician herself was following.
"Phew... Almost there." It wasn't long before a sweet aroma filled her nose, and she was soon gazing at a large garden of violet orchids. They lined the last of the path up to a small stone staircase that led to a rather dark building. Two lanterns stood on polls on either side of the door, though they weren't lit. The outer walls had dark violet material that cloaked them and draped down to the ground, hiding the actual walls from view. The sides of the house were hidden by the trees, and their branches dipped down too low for a viewer to see the roof, making the actual size of the building a mystery. The door in itself was a large rosewood oval featuring a iron lined heart shaped window filled with spirals, effectively preventing a view of the inside.
"Finally." Taking quick, light steps, the girl paused at the top of the short stairway. Spiraling her hand around the handle in the shape of a well-memorized rune awarded her to the sound of a click, and the girl pushed open the unlocked door hastily. Inside the room wasn't much more lit- nor did it seem very large. A small circular table stood in the middle of the room with a candle and heavy book on it and featured several more books underneath, a chair with a heart-shaped backrest tucked against it. The heart-shaped lanterns hung from the ceiling were also unlit, leaving the room dull and the tables that stood against the rounded walls almost invisible.
Pulling the door shut behind her, the girl walked past the table and to one of the side tables. A device seeming like a chemistry kit was on top of it, along with several beakers and other devices. The mage chose the largest of the pots available- one that was a deep black, though it wasn't apparent whether it was naturally that colour or it had been charred.
"All right..." Picking up another of the nearby beakers, she poured it's contents into the pot along with a deep red filled bottle next to it. This was also poured into the pot, and the mage continued adding things to the mixture as they became readily available by the Sidtri, who had been gathering them from other points in the room.
"Thank you~" She laughed, waving her hand over the mixture, "It's pretty much done." Mumbling a spell under her breath, she watched as the liquid began glowing a bright, healthy reddish-pink. When she saw this the girl sighed, hovering her hand over the pot then lifting it up.
Rising with her hand from the pot came a small glowing heart, and she gestured it up inside one of the floating lanterns. Within minutes the entire room had filled with the glowing hearts, and it was filled with a warm pink light. The girl then pushed her front door open, balancing the pot against her hip as she conjured two larger hearts from the pot. These flew into the lanterns, lighting the field of orchids. When this was done there was very little liquid left in the container, and the girl gestured it out in smaller yet brighter hearts. These made their way down the forest path until they were out of the magician's sight, floating at their appointed spots to make a trail for any curious inhabitants of the forest. Only one hovered nearby, following the magician closely.
"Okay, that's all done." She walked back into the newly lit room with a smile, placing the pot back in the spot she had retrieved it from. With this done she turned to another, smaller pot. It was already half full, and before she began making a new mixture she poured out the remains into a vial not unlike the one she had thrown away earlier.
"What am I even going to use this for...?" She wondered, looking at the last of the invisibility potion. The Sidtri sang out a shrill note of suggestion, and the magician sighed.
"Well... I guess I'll just use this to go to his leaving ceremony tomorrow, then." She left the vial on the stand, and with a few quiet words the pot appeared cleaned of all remnants.
"Now, to make the potions for tonight..." The sound of rain on her roof and the crown of the trees made her sigh, and she took a look out one of the side windows. The trees were less dense then they were on the path, and she could see rain falling down on everything in sight, "... I guess I'll make one just in case, but it's not likely I'll get a customer in this weather." She began humming quietly as she pulled the necessary ingredients out of the cupboard that hung overhead, glancing over at the book on her table. I used to need the book to this, but now... I have this memorized... That's just proof that I've done this too many times.
The Sidtri, perched on her shoulder, watched as her expressions changed multiple times while she mixed the items together, uttering an enchantment ever so often. Her heart was aching again, and she looked at the potion sadly as she added the last ingredient; the glowing heart that floated gently behind her. With this addition the liquid became a glowing violet mass, and she poured it into the nearby beakers until she had two full.
"I guess... I made too much." A finger tracing the opening of the container idly, she picked it up to observe it against the light. It... Really would make things easier. She knew somewhere inside that she hadn't made extra by accident; she also knew that her thoughts were falling to ideas that had floated around inside her head several times.
"But... I won't." With this resolve she pushed the second beaker to the back of the table, and set the first on the table in front of her book. When this was done she unhooked the front of her cloak, pulling the hood back as she pushed open a carefully disguised door in the back of the room that led to her actual home. The cloak was hung against the wall near the door to the main room, and the girl walked down the hall slowly.
"How did I even get into this business anyway? Making love potions..." She sighed, catching a glimpse of her rather dishevelled appearance in a mirror. She flattened her short violet hair the best she could with a sigh, making her way to the bathroom.
"It pays well, at least... But..." The rules of her making a potion were simple; there were two ways to purchase one. The first was for self-consumption of the potion- the customer had to provide a name and photo of the person they wished the potion to take effect on. The second was for consumption of the person the potion was to work on; it required only the name of the person who commissioned it. So... It would be easy enough to make a potion for him... I even have two self-consumption potions downstairs... Pushing the though away once more, she rested her head against the door leading to the bathroom.
She had managed to make herself quite a reputation over the last four years she had been in the business, and many knew her. Though... These potions require no consent from the person they're to work on. I wonder just how many people I've torn apart so far? She didn't think over the question further, deciding instantly to just continue on as she always did. If I had doubts about my work... If I really was a 'good' magician I never would have started this. Looking in the mirror again, she closed her eyes.
To the rest of the world she was known as 'The Matchmaker', a title she found somewhat ironic, seeing as there was no matchmaking involved. Most of the world saw her as a low magician- one who would do anything for money. She knew this was wrong too- if she had wanted, she could have done much more with her magic. But to the few who truly knew her (Is there really anyone who does anymore?)... She was simply Arme.
"And... You're sure this will work, r-right?" A boy with deep grey hair asked timidly. A black mask covered his eyes, and it was beyond Arme how he managed to walk around. Zero, she recalled, was the name he had given her. She sighed and nodded once again.
"If you drink this, it will work. One hundred percent guaranteed, if you have a problem with it come back and tell me." The boy's head was tilted to the ground, and he glanced at the potion in his hand.
"E-Even though..."
"Trust me, that potion could make your worst enemy fall in love with you." Zero nodded, still seeming hesitant.
"I hope so..." He mumbled, head turning back to the door, "I... Thanks." His voice faded, and he stood up. Arme waved lightly, glancing out the window.
"It's still raining, good luck getting home... And just... Good luck." The green-clothed boy nodded, seeming appreciative of the comment. As he stood up from the chair she had provided, his hand tightened around the bottle.
"M-may I just... Ask... Has this potion... Has anyone had a problem with it?" Arme sighed, but answered anyway.
"No, those ones are nearly fool-proof. The most of a problem anyone has had with one of my potions was the inability of them to get the person they wanted to drink it, but seeing as that's a self-consumption potion you don't have to worry about it. Everything will go just fine, don't worry." He nodded again, pushing the door open and ever so hesitantly stepping outside. The door was closed gently behind him, and when he was gone arm let out a heavy breath.
"Finally!" She exclaimed, releasing the spell she kept on her own voice to. change the tone. An enchantment hung around her closely, altering the sounds of her voice as it exited her mouth. She had long ago realized it would be inconvenient to have people recognize her while she was in the town or the likes, so she had taken measures to make certain no event of the likes would happen. A large hood covered her hair, placing enough shade over her eyes that she didn't feel the need to change the colour of them.
Coughing several times as the air of the spell faced away, the girl turned to the clock that hung subtly on the wall. Twelve... I guess I should get headed to sleep. It was raining heavily outside; the chances of someone else coming at that point was extremely low. And I need to get rested up to go see... Lass leaving tomorrow... She sighed for the umpteenth time that day, glaring over at the potion that rested on her counter in contempt as she had done several times that evening.
"I..." closing her eyes, she sighed and made her way over to her potion table. Maybe creating something will help take my mind off things. She walked over to the small table in the centre of the room and was about to pick up the heavy book that lay there when a silhouette in the front window surrounded by the glow of the heart lanterns caught her eye. Grey hair was illuminated to a reddish tint, and Arme sighed.
"He's back already?" She wondered with a frown, waving her voice charm back into place before walking over to the door. Is he really that uncertain about my potion? I told him it would work several times... Pulling the hood back up over her face, she pulled the door open once again.
"I told you, it'll w..." Her voice died out as she observed the person on the other side of the door, and her eyes widened as she looked him over several times. It... There's no way. Though the person in front of her did indeed have silver hair, as her previous customer had, his sapphire eyes were also clearly visible. His blue and gold outfit and the blade hanging against his waist only certified that the person standing in front of her was none other than Lass.
"Are you going to let me in?" The striker asked calmly. Arme didn't answer immediately, her mouth left slightly agape as she tried to summarize her surroundings. Why would he be here? The magician's mind displayed many possibilities, though she couldn't imagine any of them being correct. Maybe I've been causing a problem and he's here to kill me or something before he leaves tomorrow? Or he was taking a midnight stroll and came to question why there was a trail of floating, glowing hearts leading back to my house? Or he...Maybe... Maybe he just wants a potion, like all of the others who come here.
"I... Y-yeah, come in." She stuttered, moving away to allow the disinterested-looking striker inside. She tugged her hood down further self-consciously, watching as he took in the appearance of the house.
"You can s-sit!" The magician exclaimed, feeling her face heat up as she gestured to the chair. She wasn't certain how she felt at that point- her mind was racing too quickly to comprehend everything that was going on. The assassin took her offer and sat down, his gaze by that point having moved to her. He was watching her with a mixture of confusion and interest, most likely due to her odd behaviour.
Coughing several times, Arme tentatively took the chair across from him and folded her hands on top of the book that rested there.
"So... What are you here for?" She asked when silence had hung in the air for several minutes. The silver haired boy rolled his eyes, and Arme's immediately lowered.
"I'd assume that's fairly obvious?" She nodded, biting her lip.
"I'm sorry, I just meant... Did you need a self-consumption potion or an other-consumption?" She amended, standing up. She paced around lightly, trying to quell her rapidly beating heart. The silver haired boy, still watching her, answered after a moment.
"Self-consumption. That requires a photo and name, if I'm not correct?" Arme nodded numbly as the meaning of the entire situation occurred to her, filling her with dread. Lass... Has someone he wants. But... can I give him a potion, knowing that? Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Yes... I have to.
"You're right." The magician responded, picking up the second self-consumption potion she had prepared earlier. With it in hand she returned to the table, flipping through the large book that lay there.
"May I have the picture?" She mumbled, looking at the potion after she flipped through to the page with the needed incantation. The blue eyed boy nodded, reaching into his pocket. Arme watched him as he moved, still feeling somewhat happy despite the event. I never though I'd get to talk to him... Certainly not before he left. Finally a small piece of paper was retrieved, and the striker nonchalantly threw it towards her. The photo landed on Arme's open book, and she glanced at it fearfully. What she saw made her pause, staring at it further in plain disbelief. In the image stood a rather short girl, leaning up against a washed out white wall and observing something out of the range of the camera. Hair of a light violet was being pushed out of her eyes, their colour matching the lilac strands. If the image in itself wasn't enough to confuse her, the next words out of his mouth certainly did the trick.
"Her name is Arme." The amethyst eyed magician's throat dried, and she glanced up at him. Her cheeks had by that point blazed a heavy red, and she hoped fervently that her hood hid the colour from his view.
"You... You're sure this is the right picture?" She asked, confusion lacing her words. This has gotta be a dream... Or a mishap... Or someone playing a joke? The striker nodded.
"Yes, I'm certain. And..." Reaching into his pocket again, the assassin pulled out a small leather satchel. He dropped it on the table next to the candle, still looking at her.
"That's the money required for the potion." Though she hadn't previously stated a price, Arme felt quite certain that if she counted out the money in the bag she would find exactly two hundred thousand gold. The magician looked back down at the book and the picture again, biting her lip. Okay... What do I do now? I can't make him a potion with myself as the target! The idea had it's own appeals- Arme pushed them out of her mind quickly.
"Are you... Sure you want a potion? What's your relation to the girl in the photo?" Lass blinked slowly.
"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be here." He answered, "and as for my relationship to her, I believe it doesn't matter in making the potion?" Arme pursed her lips, bowing her head further.
"I... It doesn't, but..."
"Is there a problem?" The violet haired girl turned away, watching him from the corner of her eye.
"I just figured... This potion is expensive, w-wouldn't you have a better chance just a-asking?" She suggested hesitantly, playing with the rim of her hood.
"I came here prepared to give you the money you want. Now I don't have much time, so if you could stop trying to dissuade me that would be appreciated." What is he thinking? He can't really...
"You don't have much time?" She questioned, trying to distract the evan striper. He knew what she was trying- that much was obvious by his gaze.
"If you must know, I'm leaving somewhere tomorrow and there's a good chance I'll never see her again." This only made the magician feel more confused.
"Then why are you buying the potion? It'll just..." The striker's gaze had moved to the window, and Arme's automatically did the same. For a moment they sat there watching the rain, neither speaking. Lass was the first to break the silence, sapphire orbs focused back on Arme.
"My reason for buying from you is my own, I don't see how it concerns you. From what I've heard the only thing you care for in this bargain is the money, so I fail to understand why you're not complying." The magician's attention drawn back from the window, she refused to meet the boy's gaze.
"I... And if I don't have a potion p-prepared?" She stuttered. She could have sworn at that point he was about to laugh at her, and the magician's cheeks tinted further. Her heart was pounding, and something inside Arme was reminding her that talking to him would only make his departure the next day hurt even more.
"There's a potion sitting on the table." He reminded her, "Give up the excuses." Arme glanced at the potion with a frown, her eyes falling on the spell book.
"I-I just don't think you should be- Can't you get her without the potion? I'm s-sure you could." she said; the first thing she could think of. And trust me, I would know. The assassin scoffed.
"Thanks, but I'm here for a reason. Now-"
"I can't!" Arme insisted, her voice growing loud. Lass blinked, tilting his head.
"What exactly do you mean?" He enquired, "This isn't any different than the thousands of other requests you've had." The cloaked girl stood up again, avoiding his gaze as much as possible and backing up so she was leaning against the potion table.
"But... I... Have you made a move without the p-potion? I-it just makes more sen-" The violet haired girl's eyes widened as Lass stood up, and before she could blink he was standing directly in front of her. The next moment their lips were pressed together firmly, and Arme could feel a hand weave into her hair and push back her hood.
Her initial instinct was to back up, though doing so only bumped her into the table behind her. What... She had put her hands up in front of her, though they simply rested against the striker's chest as he pressed closer and deepened the kiss. Arme realized at that point she should have tried to push him away- that she should have tried to do anything, but she was unable to do anything other than let her eyelids fall. His lips were smirking against hers, and Arme couldn't pinpoint why exactly it made her want to respond to his rather upfront advance. Before she was given the chance, however, the silver haired boy broke off the kiss, a smirk still adorning his features.
"Wh-why did you-" Arme's voice came out in a squeak, and she realized instantly that his being so close had disturbed her voice change spell.
"You told me to make a move, didn't you?" He smirked, "And now is as good a time as any." Arme's face lit up even further, and she was certain at that point that she couldn't possibly get any redder.
"Y-yeah, but I meant- I- How long did you know I was me?" She asked incredulously, trying to push at his chest. The assassin didn't release her- if anything, he moved closer.
"I knew before I walked in here." Arme's eyes widened.
"Then why did you even come?" She moaned, "And why do you even know who I am?" Lass listened to these questions with an amused expression, leaning closer to whisper in her ear.
"Well, you know why I came now. As for why I know who you are... Let's start off with my seeing you outside the guild every day. Not to mention the training yard."
"You knew I was there? B-but I was invisible!" She exclaimed, trying to stop the shivers that were running up and down her spine from his voice being so close. The silver haired boy let out a quiet chuckle.
"Not entirely... If you look closely there's still a slight outline where the sun hits you, and you have a rather faint shadow. You thought it was just a coincidence, all those times I deflected kunai and blades that would have hit you?" Arme looked away, trying to avoid showing her embarrassment.
"Well... Sorta..." She mumbled.
"Leader also knew that you were watching, but I convinced him to leave you be. It's a good thing the other assassins aren't as observant... I also knew you because of the items you left for me. I mean, what were the chances of one of the other assassins making a lunch labelled 'Lass' and leaving it on the rest area table?" A hand pressed against her cheek as Lass pulled away slightly, and she found herself looking at him directly.
"You never have a lunch when I visit the guild..." She replied embarrasedly, "It's not healthy."
"But..." He continued, "If anyone else made me a lunch, I certainly wouldn't touch it. There was something that seemed really... Safe about it the first time you left one. You wouldn't believe how long it annoyed me for that I, who was trained to suspect everything, could see no harm in eating from a suspicious looking lunchbox with my name written on it. I probably wouldn't have, but then I remembered..." Sighing, he pressed his forehead to hers, "I remembered what about it seemed so safe." He paused, his eyes closing.
"It had the scent of orchids on it... The same scent as the person who healed me." Arme's eyes widened even more, and she blinked slowly.
"There's no way you..." He opened his eyes again, grinning.
"Of course I remember. The day that I had a run-in with one of Kaze'Aze's spies... I was nearly killed right there. I was lucky to be found by some silver cross assassins, who brought me back to the guild to consult the leader. I certainly remember that part... Being told that I was going to die because there was no one with advanced medical knowledge for miles around. That was a difficult message to understand..." Pausing, he looked to make sure she was still listening. Arme's eyes were glazed over in memory, her lips parted ever so slightly.
"I was just lying there, alone in that white room... Waiting, and wondering what it would feel like to die. Knowing that there were people around, but none of them could help... It was kind of difficult to accept. You can't imagine how surprised I was to hear the door slide open- the master had honoured my request to be alone and made strict orders for no one to enter the room. Then, to see a violet haired girl with violet eyes sneaking into it? I was pretty sure at that point that I was already dead."
"Then... The pain intensified. I didn't know what was going on, but the next moment... Everything had stopped it's agonizing pain, the room was filled with the smell of orchids, and someone was whispering 'You'll be all right'. The next thing I really remember was waking up in the morning, and the leader saying it was a miracle. I asked about a violet haired magician, but everyone passed it off as my being ill." Arme looked down, avoiding his gaze.
"I'm sorry... The pain is a part of healing, If I could have helped it if I could have." The assassin tilted his head.
"I would have died. I think I can handle a little pain over that. After a bit of searching, it wasn't difficult to pick up on rumours of a witch living in the forest. Some had even swore they saw her with violet eyes, and claimed that upon finding her house one would find a garden of orchids. From there, it really wasn't difficult to put together the pieces." His face had taken on a more serious expression, and he made sure his eyes met hers.
"But... I've always needed to ask you this. Why did you save me?" Arme's mouth hung open lightly, and her fingers laced together over her chest.
"Well... I was in the town shopping when I saw some people carrying what appeared to be a dead body... I got curious and listened in, only to find out you were only injured. I... Couldn't help myself from following them, so I used one of my spells for invisibility. It doesn't work as well as the potion, but it was enough for me to get in and hear the situation. I couldn't just... Let you die." She responded. The thief looked her over.
"But Arme, you were sneaking into the most feared building in Ellia, filled with the most feared classes in Ellia, to heal one of the most feared people in Ellia! What exactly made you think that was a good idea? Do you know what would have happened if you had got caught?" Arme nodded.
"I probably would have been killed or put in prison or something like that, but... I wasn't about to watch someone die when I could save them." He smiled at this, finally releasing her. The sudden lack of warmth made Arme sigh. Lass had turned to the window, and his smile fell into a frown.
"I... You were there today, weren't you? The guild? If I'm not mistaken, you were on the roof." Arme nodded gently.
"And... You have to leave tomorrow?" The assassin nodded.
"It's not like the Master's forcing me... I think in all honesty he'd rather see me think it over more, but I'll go." Arme's gaze fell to the ground, and she bit the inside of her cheek.
"You'll..." A hand underneath her chin forced her head up; forced her to look into sapphire eyes.
"I'm not going to avoid what I want to ask here. Arme, will you come with me?" The violet haired girl blinked, staring at the assassin in disbelief.
"Lass, are you... Serious?" The striker nodded.
"Completely. And keep in mind, I am a thief and as such am not opposed to kidnapping you if need be." Arme felt a smile pulling onto her face, and she looked away.
"Doesn't look like I have much of a choice, does it?" The silver haired boy nodded, looking out the window again.
"It's getting late... I still haven't packed, so I suppose I'll go do so." He sighed, "But I'll be back in the morning. And I'm kidnapping you whether you're ready or not, so if I were you I'd take some time to get ready now."
"M-Mm-hm." She mumbled, unable to put the smile off her face. Lass leaned in once more, stealing another kiss before he disappeared. She stood there for several minutes in silence, a large grin on her face until she finally let out an excited, relieved laugh.
"He really..." She took a deep breath, walking over to the window to sit down and watch the rain, "He really remembered..." Her heart fluttering, she leaned against the glass. All her excitement had generally led to exhaustion, and before she could do anything a wave of sleep fell over her.
Arme... He called me Arme. This was one of the last thoughts that passed her mind before she fell asleep against the glass, listening to the storm as it reigned over Ellia, as Lass would find her the next morning.
Someone who truly knows me... I guess there really is still someone.
A/N: ... Yeah, I don't know either 8D;; I do like the concept of this, though~ random one shot is random? Anyway, it's two am and I have school today. Good luck to me. Dx Thanks for reading~!
-Utsuro