Chapter 1 - Natsuki
It was a beautiful day in the capitol city of the Fuuka kingdom. The bright orange sun radiated in the crystal clear blue sky, and snow white clouds drifted lazily across the massive expanse. The temperature was warm, and the atmosphere was as far from humid as could it could possibly be. In short, it was a perfect day, and the people of Fuuka were making the best of it.
Those thatcalled the capitol their home were out in the streets in droves. Kids played their childish games, darting in and out of the mass of adults with the deftness only their small frames could have. The adults, when not scolding the young, shopped at the many stores, and stalls that lined the market districts. All sorts of entertainers set up shop wherever they could find free space; From jugglers with their sticks of fire, to expert musicians who struck up fine tunes on their wooden flutes, and guitars. All made their utmost effort to keep those that passed by entertained, if only for the brief seconds that it took to pass by them.
However, there were two figures in the throngs of thousands, that were not particularly enjoying themselves. They walked along with the people of the capitol, but it was clear to even a child, that they were not from this city. Those that walked near them, took great care to not bother them in the least. Many even switched to the opposite side of the road, instead of even being remotely near the two outsiders.
"Natsuki, why are we here?" One of the two asked the other in a deep, almost animal like voice. This one, a man, towered over those he walked alongside, including his companion. He wore a full-length black robe, that hung loosely over his body. However, even though it did its best to cover up the mans features, it was as clear as the day was now that he was a well built man. Upon his head, he donned a great black hood, that did well to cover his head, and facial features.
"I already told you." The other one, Natsuki, started in a deep yet still very feminine voice, "I need more crystals." She finished, touching the handle of one of two arcane pistols that sat in leather holsters strapped to either of her hips upon a loosely fit leather belt. A belt which somehow managed to keep a pair of several sizes to large, dark blue khaki shorts from falling right off her slender frame. The rest of her garb included a pair of thick-soled leather shoes, and a matching dark blue doublet, with poet style sleeves. Atop a head of long blue-black hair sat a gold-trimmed, black tricorne complete with crimson plume.
"Again?" The man responded, "Didn't we do that when we were in Aries, how have you run out so quickly?"
"That was over three weeks ago." Natsuki returned, "We've done a lot of jobs since then."
"Still..." The man said in a concerned tone, "You shouldn't use that thing so readily, we aren't with the clan anymore. It is expensive to replenish our stock so often."
"I don't need another value of money speech Duran." Natsuki replied curtly. She couldn't take another of her companions long-winded speeches, that he seemed so content on giving to her, "You don't need to be so concerned, I know how these things work."
The robed man, Duran, sighed, "Of course you do...But as your guardian, I hate it when I have to hear you complaining when we all we have to eat is bread, and water."
"I do not!" Natsuki proclaimed defensively, and loudly, scaring several nearby citizens witless
"Uh huh..." Duran started, "Remember that one ti-."
"Here we are." The female traveler stated, interrupting her partner just in time. In front of them was a small two-story building. A simple sign hung from the second floor balcony. A large crimson crystal was painted on the thin piece of wood, below it was the word Karan's. Natsuki guessed it was the name of the shopkeep, "Let's hurry up, and do this so we can get out of here." She called over her shoulder to her partner, and walked towards the shop.
Natsuki gently pushed open the shop's simple wooden door, and walked on through. As both she, and Duran passed the threshold from vibrant city to quaint shop, a high pitched bell chimed somewhere in the small enclosure.
Almost immediately after the bell rang a voice called out from the back of the shop, "Hold on a moment, I'll be right with ya!"
Natsuki used the time to browse the store. The shop was a dimly lit old building, everything was made of old mahogany, and the air was incredibly stuffy. All in all, it had a very antique feeling to it. All along the walls hung crystals of various sizes, and colors. All were cut to perfection. Spread haphazardly across the floor were many shelves covered in alchemical instruments, in the same crystalline material.
"Hmm.." Natsuki heard Duran muse behind her.
"What is it?" Natsuki questioned, turning to face her partner.
"Nothing much..." Duran returned as he leaned close to one of the shelves, "Doesn't seem like business is very good though." He continued before he blew strongly on the shelf, procuring a large cloud of dust in the process, and sending himself into a coughing fit.
"It's not that surprising." Natsuki stated, stepping back from the settling cloud of particles, "Not much use for an Arcane shop in a city of humans."
"I suppose your right." The man agreed as soon as he stopped to cough. Carefully he stepped away from the shelves, and took up a protective position behind Natsuki.
The female traveler continued to peruse the shop, only stopping when she found the objects she had been looking for. Atop one of the shelves sat a small bin filled to the brim with diamond like crystals. They glinted dimly in the meager light of the shop. Just looking at the jewels caused a bit of excitement in the young woman. It had been quite sometime since she had used, much less even seen such perfection, and she couldn't wait to see how good they would work with her weapons.
"Welcome, welcome!" A voice shocked Natsuki away from the bin of crystals, and towards the back of the shop.
Standing behind the store's counter stood an aged man. He had a large hook nose, and a head of balding snow white hair. He wore a simple pair of overalls, a pair of large horn-rimmed glasses, and a smile that had seen better days.
"What can ol' Karan do for ya now, hmm?" He asked rather eccentrically as he adjusted his glasses.
Natsuki looked at the old man skeptically, but quickly shook off her feelings. She turned from the man, and quickly grabbed the bin of crystals off the shelf, "I want enough of these to fill this bag." She stated simply, unhooking an empty black cotton pouch from her belt, and placing it next to the bin atop the store counter.
"Oh?" Karan mused before adjusting his glasses again, "And what would such a young lass like ya need with so many chargers?" He questioned squinting as he looked over Natsuki, it only took the shop owner a moment before he saw the pistols strapped to her waist, "Oh, ho!" The man exclaimed, "Why didn't ya say so sooner my dear?!" He asked before Natsuki even got in a word to answer his first question, "Dear me...A pair o' Volg, never woulda thunk it." The man finished with a whoop of laughter.
"Whatever, just fill the bag." Natsuki replied coolly, she didn't have time to waste with a senile old man.
"Right, right..." Karan answered hastily, and started to transfer the crystals into the bag a handful at a time, "So..." The shopkeep started, breaking the silence that had come over the shop, "What might a couple o' youngins like ya be so far south, and away from yur clan eh? Could ya be plannin' on enterin' the tournament?"
"What tournament?" Natsuki questioned, the question perking her interests.
"Ya don' know about it?" Karan asked, and continued before waiting for an answer, "It's the knight's tourney, people from all over the realm gather every year for it, it's pretty big. The entire city pretty much shuts down for a whole week startin' tomorrow."
"What kind of tournament is it?" Natsuki asked, her interest rising at every tidbit of information the old man gave out.
"Well close combat o' course." Karan answered like it was the most obvious answer in the world, "How else would Knights fight?" He then asked rhetorically, "Entrants are pitted against the best knights we got, the winner gets a mountain o' gold." The old man raised his arms as far as they could go to both his sides for emphasis, "Though o' course...no one has ever won, and this tourneys been goin' on close to fifteen years now."
"Is that so?" Natsuki answered.
"Yep, no one. Our knights are first rate, no common sellsword gonna beat them. Though o' course no Volgs ever entered before." Karan spoke as he finished topping the black bag full of gems, "Bet you'd give em a real run for their money, entry is free, and race don't matter as far as I remember."
"Hmm..." Natsuki mused the thought of entering the tournament. She, and her partner could always use more money, it wasn't such a bad idea as far as the young Volg was concerned.
"Alright little missy, that'll be ten gold pieces." Karan stated, trying the end of the black bag closed, and handing it back over to Natsuki.
"Ten?!" Natsuki exclaimed, "That's robbery!"
Karan shrugged, "Not much demand for Arcane goods in this city my young Volg friend, gotta make a profit somehow. I can guarantee ya that these crystals are the best ya gonna get, short of getting them straight from one of yur own."
Natsuki scowled as she realized the validity of his statement. The crystals he had were in peak condition, and she hadn't found a human run store yet that matched the quality of this one. So, gritting her teeth, she procured a similar pouch from a pocket in her shorts, as she pulled it out it jingled softly as the coin inside bumped against one another.
Sighing, the female Volg undid the leather cord, and pulled out ten glistening gold coins from the black bag, and placed them on the counter top. Almost as soon as the coins touched the wooden surface, Karan scooped them up in one fluid motion, a wide grin on his face.
"Pleasure doin' business with ya." The shopkeep called after the retreating form of Natsuki, as he disappeared back into the recesses of the store.
"We need to find a room..." Natsuki stated firmly as soon as they were back into the flurry of the city streets.
"Please tell me your not planning on actually joining that competition." Duran said back.
"Why not?" Natsuki asked.
"It's ludicrous." Duran replied gruffly, "You know you can't fight in a melee tournament."
"I know...But you can." Natsuki responded with a slight grin.
Duran was silent for a moment before he sighed, "I should have seen that coming. I don't suppose I can say no, can I?"
"You've got that right." Natsuki replied starting down the packed street, "Besides, we're running low on funds anyway."
"I told you not to waste all those crystals like you do..." Duran said slightly forlorn.
"Don't start with that again..." Natsuki stated firmly, "Besides what do you have to lose, it's not like you can lose."
Duran sighed again, "Fine...But, what will you be doing while I'm fighting. I don't suppose you'd be in the stands watching like a good little girl..."
"It'd probably be better if you focused on the fighting, not what I'm gonna be doing." Natsuki stated, internally smiling.
"I was afraid you were going to say that."
"Don't worry, every thing's gonna be fine." Natsuki reassured her partner, "And when we're done, we won't have to worry about money again. Now let's hurry, and find someplace to stay. If that shopkeep was telling the truth, one's going to be hard to find."
And with that the duo traversed the crowded streets in an effort to find a room to spend the next week.
A/N: An introductory chapter of sorts. A prologue if you will. Subsequent chaps should be longer...I should stress should be, but I'm going to aim for 3k a chap... we'll see how it goes.
In essence this is a rewrite to my old story. Since I dislike how that one has went. I am going to take a long time working on this one, because I don't want what happened to my other story to happen to this one.