Harle stumbled through the forest area surrounding Arni Village. She had gotten into a terrible skirmish with one of the baby kamodo dragons, which by themselves weren't hard to fight off, but they just kept coming until she was overpowered by a mama kamodo dragon and she was forced to retreat. Holding her hand against her most prevalent wound, a gash across the stomach, she could feel blood run over her fingers and begin to dry to her gloves.
Her destination was Arni village where she hoped she could enlist Serge to help her, being just liberated from the sky dragon's grasp she hadn't had time to collect healing elements for herself and was in need of some proper stitching up. It had only been two years after the events that practically changed the world, or at least hers, and she hoped Arni still wasn't against Hybrids.
She bit her lip when she thought about Serge, he was someone very close to Harle, one of the only people she ever felt like she could trust. But still, what if, by some unseen reason, he hated her? Well, it wouldn't have been the first time someone hated her. Most of her life the dragons that created and raised her had always made sure she knew the resent they had for her. That her life meant nothing.
'Cease thinking that way! Those times are over now, the dragons are gone.' Harle constantly reminded herself. But even with the helpful reminders she still wasn't able to forget most of the terrifying qualities that made the dragons so threatening to her.
There stature, the way they commanded power. Not to mention the fact that they could bite through an entire house and not be phased, but Harle was never one to be scared over other beings power. There are exceptions, though, to those that had once held her very soul in their claws.
Falling into Arni Village wasn't the most graceful thing she had done all day, but at that point she didn't care. Atleast she had made it here, and it was all the better that someone was there to catch her.
"Woah there! Looks like someone messed ya up good..." Harle couldn't see who was talking, but by now the pain overtook her and she felt like passing out.
"Merci...Serge..." She allowed herself to limp into, who she was hoping was, Serge's arms.
A small grunt of recognition from the other person whom infact was strong enough to hold her up, "Jesus, she's so outta it she's hallucinatin'..."
Harle was alone in a dark room in which her only comfort being the solid ground beneath her. She slowly started to recognize this as the place where she grew up long ago.
With the dragons.
Slowly she started to panic and reach for her face, only to find all of her harlequin paint gone. That was the only surefire way she knew she was back in her childhood abode; The dragons never let her wear her paint.
With this realization dawning on her she almost wasn't able to hear the loud, thumping, footsteps of what could only be the Sky dragon. Looking up, she saw its horrible form in the distance.
"Non! I thought the dragons were gone! They have to be, they have to be..." The last phrase she kept repeating to herself while constantly scrubbing her face with her hands.
The thumping got closer still, "Wake up, girl!"
This confused Harle enough to stop her murmuring. Was she not already awake?
The Sky dragon's voice boomed again, "If you do not awake you are going to wish you had never closed your eyes."
"Non, non..." Harle started repeating these new words over and over again.
Kidd leaned against the door frame watching Harle frown and mummer in her sleep. She had a troubled look on her face that, from an lifetime of experience, she knew could only mean nightmares.
About an hour ago Kidd had carried Harle back to the Inn in Arni village and repaired her wounds herself. Kidd didn't know why she just didn't leave her there to be picked up by some stranger because now she had to deal with being morally conflicted.
Kidd crossed her arms and sighed, on one hand she could further help the destroyer of her childhood home out and wake her up from her dreams, or on the other she could just let her suffer from night terrors. The 'suffering' hand had just about gotten the vote until Kidd started to hear distinct words from the muttering.
"Non, non..." Harle started repeating feverishly. She had broke out into a cold sweat and was literally drawing back in fear.
The Radical Dreamer cursed out loud before making her way over to the sleeping Harle. It was such a pity cause' she looked so innocent, so harmless just lying there asleep. Kidd knew the real Harle though, and the real Harle was a cold killer that would stab you in the back just for fun.
The only thing worse than Lynx was a friend of Lynx.
So why was she doing this? Why was she kneeling down in front of Harle's bed hoping to, yet again, take mercy on her?
Because she was an idiot, that's why.
Placing two hands very carefully on Harle's shoulders she shook her gently, taking careful consideration for her wounds, "Harle...Hey Harle! Wake up!"
One of her eyes opened first then the other and Kidd flinched when Harle shot up and started panting. She held one hand to her chest and looked terrified.
Harle took awhile to get back to Earth and start looking around. She was generally confused by what had occurred. Wasn't she taken into Serge's care and valiantly rescued and treated? And if so, why wasn't Serge anywhere to be found? Most importantly, why was she here?
'She', of course, was referring to the blond rouge kneeling next to her. Kidd couldn't have been the one who tended to her wounds. But if she did, then why? Harle was always under the expression that Kidd hated her.
Kidd cleared her throat, "So, do ya mind tellin' me what that was about?"
Harle looked confused for a second but then realized what she was asking about, "Oh...I had a bad dream."
Kidd smirked and said, "Well yeah, I noticed that. Mind tellin' me what actually happened in it?" She hadn't come this far in taking care of one of her greatest enemies to be stopped by some bullshit about 'privacy'.
The other girl folded her hands, looked down at them, and then looked up at Kidd, "It was about ze dragons, you remember them, no?"
She nodded her head and Harle continued on, "Ever since they were destroyed I was so sure I would be able to stop thinking about them, but they just keeping appearing in moi's dreams. Ever time moi closes her eyes moi just sees another dragon waiting to threaten her."
Kidd hummed in agreement, that would suck, being constantly reminded of the thing you hate the most. Meanwhile, the sun was being covered by what was probably the only cloud on an otherwise clear day, making the room dim.
Harle was grateful for this because the glaring sun had been rather uninviting her sensitive eyes.
"Alright, but what happened ta ya out in the forest? You were pretty roughed up when ya got here."
Harle sighed, embarrassed that she had to relay this story to Kidd of all people, "I got jumped by dozens of baby kamodo dragons and their mom."
It took a moment, but the laughing came. Although it was more like giggling that make Harle think Kidd was laughing with her instead of at her. A bird outside the window started chirping as well, as if it wanted to cash in on Harle's shame.
"Wow, ya got hurt that bad from a couple a over grown lizards? Geez, and I thought ya stole somethin' from the wrong person." She continued giggling until Harle stopped and corrected her.
"No, missus Kidd, ever since the dragons were defeated I decided to stop stealing unless I really needed it. I want to be as good as possible." Harle was a little, if not a lot, more adamant about how people saw her now. She wanted to be good, Serge had shown her how nice and loving one person can be and she wanted to do the same as him.
It would all be worth it if she change a life like he had changed hers.
The giggling stopped. Kidd couldn't believe it. Harle? The same Harle that had burnt her orphanage to the ground? She wanted to be good?
"Really?" Kidd looked at Harle, stared into her eyes searching for some kind of truth.
The harlequin got serious, "Yes, really. Moi thinks it is a perfect way for moi to repay all the bad things she has done in the past."
Kidd continued on the staring contest, Harle didn't seriously think that all her mistakes could be repaid by just not continuing to steal? She continued looking into her eyes, but nothing happened that would hint towards her lying.
"Alright, I'll give ya a chance, a sorta probation. But if ya slip up, Harle, yer outta Arni Village and my good graces." Kidd got up and turned to leave when Harle stopped her.
"One more thing Kidd, who patched moi's wounds up?"
"Me a' course! Now go back ta sleep yer prolly' still tired." And with that she shut the door and left.
Harle was beyond confused, why did Kidd say that? What did that mean 'sorta probation'? Can she not do anything bad in Arni at all now? It wasn't like she was planning on it anyways. She was also even more confused about the 'good graces' part, maybe that meant Kidd was actually starting to like Harle?
As she settled down into her bed, Harle thought that would be nice. Kidd was always someone she envied and being able to be friends with her must mean she was already getting better, didn't it?
She yawned and thought about how Kidd had taken her to Arni's Inn and actually helped her. Did that mean she was already half way there? The thought was nice and got her through four or six hours of sleep without interruption.
Outside of of Harle's room, Kidd leaned against the wood wall and sighed from exhaustion. It had been a week since she'd fulfilled her promise to Serge, that meant she had only stayed a week in Arni and she already had people like Harle to deal with.
She guessed it was a blessing that Harle had decided to turn over a new leaf instead of causing trouble like her old self did. But there was also that suspicion that Harle wasn't actually telling the truth.
"Hey Kidd!" Her eyes snapped open to see Serge standing next to her.
When the hell did he get there?
"Sup' Serge?" Seeing Serge put her heart and mind at ease, ever since she had found him they had absolutely no trouble in rekindling the very same friendship they had before.
The blue haired man shrugged and smiled lazily, "I've been running errands all day for the wedding and I needed to come and borrow a frying pan from Mom. You?"
Kidd's chest tightened a little at the mention of Serge's wedding. He was marrying his child hood love, Leena, and was downright giddy about it. She didn't really know what else to expect when she found Arni, maybe to find some kind of a lover in Serge? But, deep down, she knew that wouldn't work.
Serge and Leena were betrothed even before their quest began. Kidd wasn't at all worried about it though; She's very happy for Serge, who is still her best mate in the entire world. As long as he's happy she's happy.
"Oh, I was just bringing someone in from the forest awhile ago. They got knocked out doing battle with little kamodo dragons." Kidd chuckled a bit at that part.
He looked at her questioningly for a second, "Is it anyone we know?"
Kidd looked into his giant, blue, puppy-like eyes and found them so ridiculously hard to lie to. He would know she was lying anyways so why not just tell him?
"Yeah actually, it's Harle..." She said under her breath hopping he wouldn't hear the name. Damn those eyes.
It was all in vain though because he caught it anyways, "Harle!?" She could tell he was somewhat confused on how to act, "Is she causing trouble again or what?"
Serge was all kinds of confused about what was going on. He thought she died but recalling the happenings of their adventure it was obvious all life was put on a reset. So, what was she doing here? And should he happy about it? She was just as close to him as Kidd, but he didn't know her purpose.
The Radical Dreamer coughed into her fist to draw his attention back to her, "No, actually she's been somewhat reformin' herself since the dragons died. Tryin' ta be a better person an' all..."
Another thing Serge couldn't believe that Kidd was doing. First helping one of her sworn enemies and then saying she's changed to be good? Not that Serge didn't believe, he always knew Harle had it in her to be good.
"Do you believe that?" He asked, so badly wanting the answer to be yes so he could have both Kidd and Harle as friends.
"A little...I've actually made a deal with her that she's not allowed to do anything bad while she's stayin' here in Arni. I'm her probation officer!" Kidd worried that she sounded a little too proud of the last fact.
"How do you plan on doing that?"
"Heh, I got my ways." She gave him a mysterious wink and sounded more confident than she should have. The only 'ways' she had were just constantly keeping watch of her, which shouldn't be too hard.
"Oi'! Serge, I got ya frying pan!" The cook yelled from the Inn's tiny kitchen, he's not as good as Orcha, but really how good of a cook do you have to be for a small Inn?
"Coming!" He yelled back and readjusted his bandanna, "See ya Kidd, have fun with that Harle problem." Then he was gone, running off to get more things for his wedding.
Kidd leaned against the wall and sighed again, "Yeah, easy for you ta say. Yer not the one who has ta take care of a silly harlequin..."
What had she gotten herself into?