Chapter 2. Sorry, i'm not as talkitive as i could be. Oh well. :p
Yuri rubbed his eyes, the small orbs squinting in the poor light. Both searched around the large cavern, him finding himself confused. He sat next to a large pool, the odd colored water giving off a different kind of light than what was generally considered normal. Slowly, he regained full consciousness, looking at the small girl that was stirring as she slept on the cold surface of the cavern floor. Rita, her condition unknown to him, had been unconscious for at least five hours now; hell, both had been, transported to the place by the figure that appeared to them only earlier in the day. There was an iridescent glow emanating from the large indoor pool that was unearthed in the middle of the room, the massive emerald liquid leaving an eerie aura on the large ceiling, the stalagmites drooping down to the ground. They looked like decaying teeth, the green plastering a false moss upon the damp rock. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it wasn't water or liquid but a pure layer of aer, the toxic, floating mass enervating the simplest kind of energy that either emitted. Small green particles floated around his face, the viscous material bubbling and effervescent. The entire area held an interesting aura, both humid and murky. Shadows loomed in the far nooks and corners, absorbing light with the extensive properties of the night. No other beings, organic or not, made their presence clear, the room completely empty. The only life in the place was the pure life force that radiated from the pool, stealing away from all other sources in the known world.
"Rita", he softly called out to her, the girl slowly coming back to consciousness. Tossing back and forth, the rock didn't deter her at all, her mind fortuitously fighting back and forth for sleep. She mumbled something incoherent, turning around a few different time, facing him with a muffled face."You okay, there?"
"…Mhmm." She rose up, both eyes still closed. One hand was used for complete balance, the other numbly laying against the hoarfrost rock. The worn tome she had been carrying was lying underneath her, it softly compressed against the hem of her skirt. She cocked an eyebrow, a quizzical stare plastered on her face.
"Rita, come on, get up", he whispered, nudging her more than once. The more they lingered around the pool, the worse he started to feel.
"One… more…" She couldn't bring herself to raise her head, sleep more encumbering than one would think possible.
"Rita!" Her head shot up. Large bags were under her eyes, yet she didn't feel as tired as her appearance let on to. But, the feeling wavered, almost as if her energy would drain entirely than flow back into her. The green lights confused her further, both orbs spinning as they gathered in everything about the room. It was a nightmare pipe dream, the dark cave that would hold her and slowly suffocate, leaving a withered body and nothing more. Once again, she shook herself, Yuri kneeling before her. Obvious, to her, it wasn't a dream, the whirling spiral circling out into reality.
"What?" She was angry, non-existent fatigue bothering her. "What the hell are you doing?!" Both were in close vicinity, Yuri basically a breadth away above her. He backed up, awkwardly realizing where he was. Sweat furrowed at the top of his brow, an accumulation of the environment and the boiling personality, the behemoth he had awoken. A frown ripped across his blank face, ignoring her gaze.
"Nice to see you're awake…" The comment went to her and then soared over her head, reflecting into nothing.
"What?" She rubbed her face once again, yawning widely.
"Nothing, Sleeping Beauty." He stood up, reaching a hand down to her; she looked at it with a confused expression, craning an eyebrow at him. "Now, come on. It can't be good for us to be down here this long. When we're outside, we can collect our thoughts."
"…Sleeping Beauty?" Pulling her up, he turned around and started heading along side the pool, a wide berth opening at the mouth of the cave. Sheets of dust fell off her, the caked-on layers thicker than what would be constituted as normal. Time seemed to laze about in the dark cave, almost as if the world was being distorted by the essence given off. His eyes started acclimating to the darkness, a temporary night-vision affecting blanketing over his original lines of sight. Realization slowly drilled into him; they were both in the same cave that they had acquired Sylph in, the small hole in the wall at the bottom of some ravine.
"Rita. Do you remember this place?" The girl swayed back and forth, her legs still sleeping, both numb and achy. She heard him, letting the words swing around her head for a little bit. "Rita, you okay?"
"Yeah, just waking up… Now, what did you say?"
"Remember this place? We came here with everyone else a few weeks back; just to get one of the elemental summon."
"No…" She looked around, slowly checking out the old cave. And it came back to her, the cave an easy memory. "Oh, yeah, actually. I believe we are at… the Relewiese Hollow. That's what it's called, right?"
"Yup." He moved ahead a little further, the cave becoming less ominous. "It's nice that you can talk again, too."
"What do you mean?"
"You were kind of out of it, just a second ago. But, I can understand."
"And you weren't?" She crossed her arms, getting defensive, as she often did once she was offended. For him, he was glad for the return of her barbed personality. Nothing could have been better, not in that situation.
"I wouldn't be able to tell you. There was nobody else around here to tell me."
"Speaking of. Do you happen to remember hearing a voice as we were immersed in that…aura. Something a little familiar, maybe?"
"No… I can't even recall how we got here." He coughed, his hoarse voice scratching along with him as he spoke. The small, single cough turned into a debilitating fit, Yuri faltering slightly as he tried to catch his breath. A headache started pounding against his skull, the fragile pain nailing into a whirlwind. Rita only watched, edging slightly closer as he fell to his knees. A hand reached out, jolting away as he fell over, his head painfully colliding with the rock floor. Rita said something, her voice disjointed and shaky. The painful throbbing only got worse, the green particles filling his eye sight. He screamed out, the horrid sound filling and shaking the stones that surrounded them.
"Purify this air and cleanse the surrounding darkness! Capsule!" Rita, holding her grimoire out, called upon a spell, only sealing Yuri in a small ball of pure air, the mana-enriched area being swept away from him. "Dammit, I told them about aer exposure…" His headache still taking over, Yuri looked up with a strained expression. He started slumping on the ground, moving slowly away from the deepest area of the cave. "Yuri", she said, entering the small personal shield. "Come on." She lifted him, the young man resting against the girl who was much smaller than him. However, she persisted, bringing away from the area, fully introducing them into brightness.
Small filaments of light filtered down from the blaring sun outside, two worlds separated by only a few insignificant inches. She pulled him a little bit further, resting him against the rocks. No darkness enshrouded them any longer, a healing light washing over him, his coughing slowly subsiding. Rita looked around; her breathing becoming more stressed that normal, as well. But, she could feel an invisible weight lift off her, the warm weather pressing against her face with a congenial feel.
"Yuri, are you okay?" She sat down next to her, laying the tome across her lap as both hand were lying on both sides of her. Her hair hung down before her face, the red coloring slowly losing its luster in the direct sunlight. He didn't answer but turned, his labored breathing drawing a smile, both eyes closed as he did it. "Good." They let a few more minutes pass, the silence both welcome and uncomfortable. Neither had been spent a large amount of time in just their own company, the mood set for only a certain level of comfort. At most, they would exchange looks, a gauche feeling spread out between them.
"I… think we should get out of this ravine." His voice surprised her, their silence having lasted for a good ten minutes. "It wouldn't be wise to make this stay any longer than it has to be." He groaned, resting against the wall as he tried to support his weight with his legs. Standing up, he clutched his sword, the steel still attached to his wrist. Yuri hadn't noticed the weapon for the entire time, another thing his mind could easily put to rest.
"Where are we going to go? What about the others we were with?"
"I think we should go to Dahngrest." He didn't bother with the other question, purposely ignoring it. But, she wouldn't have that answer.
"What about Zaphias… I believe that our friends would be there, and at least, we owe them the fact that we survived the collapse of the other krene."
"I honestly don't want to deal with them, not now, not ever. I'm tired of that entire lifestyle. It's only a depressive."
"I understand where you're coming from but what about all the time you've invested making them friends? Couldn't you consider that a massive waste of time and energy?"
"Yes, and I honestly do. I still don't care." He looked over at the girl; a saddened face unlike the one she usually wore making quite the difference.
"Just like me… I'm a horrible person, only thinking of myself, hardly anyone else." A wry face tried to feign a smile. "Hm. I never would have expected you to say something like that, especially concerning Estelle." Just hearing the name made Yuri tense up, his body physically taking a form of Rigor Mortis.
"That could be the reason."
"But-"
"Leave it at that. If there's something I never want to speak about again, that would have to be it."
"And that would revolve around Estelle." Rita had adored Estelle, her feelings more than just that of simple friends. However, she never reciprocated, let alone showed any feelings towards her. "Heh. I could say I feel the same sometimes."
"Drop it. Trust me; it won't end up in anyone's favor. You'll just end up hating both her and me."
"Even you shut me out."
"I'm sorry, Rita. It, well, it just… it simply shouldn't be a burden on you." He, not the most eloquent speaker, could set the sway every now and then. Not a social recluse, he was above average with his speaking skills.
"Fine."
"Thank you. Now, let's just focus on getting out of here." He could finally walk with an air of normalcy, the aer's effects gone. Rita, not knowing how she should feel about the situation, followed up behind him. She left him alone for their trip up the craggy cliffs, small debris falling off the sides of the precariously perched areas. A few trees rooted out of the tough earth, growing at half the rate a tree usually would. The dead branches bothered them, acting out as signs of despair and disdain, leaving only a half-hearted feeling about them. More and more seemed to come out of the most pointless areas, an obvious sign (along with the massive amount of greenery plastered on the hills) they were near the area. Finally reaching the top, they looked on at the pasture that was spread out before them, hills and mountains capping off the panorama. The continent was hardly touched, a clear sky above them, unlike that over the major cities of the world. Both felt at peace, breathing in the clean air.
They walked along the rolling fields, only a small shack rising up in the distance. It was old, well worn throughout the ages. The rustic feel had left, only small piles of crumbling debris littered around in smaller piles. Further beyond was the colossal ocean, opening up and swallowing the rest of the world. On the horizon, cities could be seen; the dark silhouettes only mere specks that glimmered off the brilliant blue waters. A dock joined the old cabin, only the waterlogged wood in a better kept condition. A frail man stood at the edge, his line cast into the water, barely moving as he stood statuesque. Fish jumped around him, the old codger ignoring everything in the world.
A small fishing trawler occupied the space near the dock, the boat almost as old as the destroyed cabin. Something was sprawled on the side in white paint, the cursive writings spelling out something that resembled "Celea". No waves were evident, the wooden boat almost as still as the man. Yuri moved ahead, stopping himself as he noticed the fourth man in the area. Younger than him, he held a small blade around his left hand, a sheath, black, held in his other hand. Probably his son, the kid was obviously a guard for the frail man who probably could hardly bring himself over the sea any longer. Still, the young kid was a greenhorn, paying hardly any attention to anything. Sun shone in his face, a smile crossing as his hair compulsively fluttered before him. His left foot stepped forward, crossing upon a few different twigs. The snapping sent the greenhorn off, blade rising up to his face as he turned to the group of two approaching him.
"Stop where you are!" His voice was high pitched, almost with a wavering uncertainty. The sword, which he could identify as a wakazashi, shook a little, but it was an incredible blade, ornate and razor-sharp. They all kept their distance.
"Rita, just let me do the talking", he whispered out of the corner of her mouth, her eyes staring at him cruelly. "Just trust me." Her look was a combination of confusion and anger.
"What do you mean", she mouthed, getting angrier as they slowly edged towards the armed kid.
"Trust me." They all were in close proximity, the wavering blade making most of them feel uneasy.
"Who are you", he asked, a deadly glint in his eye.
"Friends. Don't worry about us. Just friends passing through." Rita opened her mouth, almost daring to speak; however, she was cut off by the other man who swung the small blade around his face.
"But you have weapons", he uttered, inspecting the large sword that was wrapped around Yuri supple wrist. Second Star was a little dirty, a small layer of dirt pressed into the sterling white scabbard. Still, it was intimidating, an unknown number of people slain by that exact blade. Yuri, watching him with an air of suspicion, moved his hand to guard Rita. "Why are you both armed?"
"Does it matter?"
"No, not at all", he sneered.
"We're out in the middle of the wilderness. It only makes sense that we should have a little protection with us. We're not asking for a death wish."
"Yet, you play smart with me?"
"Kid, you're shaking. I should be bothering you about weapons, anyway. It looks as if you can't even hold it right, let alone use it."
"How about I show you myself?" He took a step forward, but stopped himself, Yuri flinging the sheath off of his own weapon. Within a hot second, the sword was craned in a deadly position.
"Try me."
"…" Sweat was dripping down his head, his youthful expression turning younger as he felt more threatened. "Okay…" But his eyes told them that he wanted them to back down. Yuri understood, lowering his own sword with a casual smile.
"Heh. That's what I thought." He gently grabbed Rita's wrist, pushing past the other guy with light force. The young man stopped him, turning him around.
"Stop! You haven't the right to pass!"
"Kid, I'm not in the mood for this right now. Let us go, and I won't have to spread you around this field."
"Yuri, you should calm down."
"You're one to talk."
"HEY, STOP!" The young fighter swung a punch, barely missing Yuri as he gracefully fell to the ground. Yuri was instantly on him, his blade gravitating above his neck. Yuri wasn't playing anymore, his eyes fraught with both anger and frustration.
"Kid, I damn well told you."
"Yuri, knock it off, you idiot. You're not going to do us any good by kill a random person. God, you moron…" She grabbed his arm, moving the sword away. Then, she helped the man to his feet, keeping a distance between both. "Are you okay?" On his feet, the novice jumped back a few feet, drawing his weapon again. Perceptibly, he didn't trust them, the compassionate action throwing him off.
"See, Rita? How does it feel when your actions are pointlessly tossed aside? Now, let me just…" He trailed off, prepping his sword once more. However, he never got the chance to use it, Rita stopping him and moving closer to the greenhorn.
"Are you okay" she asked once again, and that was all it took. Within ten minutes, the young girl had subdued the greenhorn's coarse personality, the amiable personality of a social young man taking over. Both men calmed down, Yuri, a cross expression on his face, sat with his back to them, looking at the sea, which was starting to get rougher. Storm clouds were building on the horizon, dark beings that shook the world with thunderous power. Rita's passive approach, unfamiliar to even her, was working, even the elderly man watching them with a lazy eye.
"Sorry about that whole incident. We've just seen quite a bit, today. He's tired and I'm a little on edge."
"No, it's fine. I should be apologizing. I was too focused on my guard position. And, I am very new at this. Even the blade-"
"Your technique", interrupted Yuri, the man taking up residence next to the red-dressed girl, both surprised at his entrance. "If you're going to talk about the sword, don't go blaming it."
"I-"
"Save it. It's just pathetic to see someone like you with a blade like that. It's a damn waste."
"Yuri, let Isaak be."
"Isaak? That's his name?"
"Yes. It's quite a nice name. Temperate and friendly, unlike yours."
"My name doesn't reflect my personality."
"Whatever." She turned back to Isaak, discarding the previous conversation without any remorse. "So, what are you doing around here?"
"Just helping my grandfather with his fishing. Nothing special. More importantly, why are you both armed? It's unlikely you are both just travelers, especially with his skill at the sword. It's…"
"Uncanny?"
"No, just suspicious, I guess."
"Suspicious. Why would we appear suspicious?"
"You have the look of mercenaries, or maybe assassins." He let the words fly out, a small dreamscape machinated from the inner trappings of a young boy who never dreamed at the younger ages. "Something with a little more finesse than your run-of-the-mill travelers."
"It's nothing that important. What is important is that we get a ride back to the main land, specifically Dahngrest. We've been stranded for here for a bit."
"And you think that I would be a fool enough to hitch you a ride, all for the favors you have done me?" He spoke with a sarcastic flair, his words much more sharp and smooth compared to his swordplay.
"I can have Yuri have his fun."
"So, you would stoop to common intimidation? That's just sad in your part. You come off as caring and kind, but then you trap whoever you're speaking to with threats and stupid attacks. Wow."
"Isaak, we just need a damn ride back. We'll pay you or something, okay? Just, please, let us board back with you."
"Why?"
"Because you're probably heading back to the same place we are and it would be cruel and pointless to leave us here. Besides, if you did, it wouldn't be the last time you would see us, that's for sure."
"How do you figure that I'm going to Dahngrest?"
"You have the look of a guild member, certainly not an upstanding citizen of the Empire. Same with your boat." She smiled, the words finally having their effect on the man. He was breaking down, getting tired of their back and forth games. "Even if you aren't, it could get us to a port where we could get there." She smiled directly at him, the smile making him break out in a cold sweat. The elderly man was done fishing, walking towards them with a few dead fish tethered upon a small branch. He squinted at the group, the two people different from the one that he had brought.
"Still…"
"Isaak. Who are you speaking to", questioned the old man, a full head of hair shooting out of his dried skull. He was certainly old, yet he held an air of enigma, a certain charm of youth captured within his husk.
"Just two travelers I met while you were fishing, Grandpao." The odd name was a form of honor combined with a name that he had called him during infancy, the pronunciation tick sticking with both. "Their names are Rita and..."
"Yuri", finished Yuri, smiling at the old man. "Nice to meet you", he continued, shaking the feeble hand of the grandfather. Surprising, he had a strong grip, much stronger than that of the warrior who guarded him. "Excuse me, but do you honestly need your grandson as a guard for you?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"Your handshake. It's incredibly firm, almost as if you once had conditioned yourself as a combatant of sorts."
"Hah, you read well beyond the front pages of a person, don't you?" He only smiled, a toothless and bruised smile, a few different scars perforating the leather skin that he wore around his forehead. "Isaak, invite them into the boat. I'll prepare some of that tea I brought."
"Yes, Grandpao." He turned back to both, who were smiling with incredibly joviality. Rita winked at the kid who, in turn, only shook his head.
An aromatic scent filled the air, the resin smell of wood rising up and mixing with the leaves the old man strained into the boiling water, two lights reflecting a shade of electric purple on the liquid. It gave it an alchemic feel, the crazed apothecaries hunkering over a dark cauldron of unknown substances. He smiled and brought the small wooden cups around, handing one to each of the guests and going back to grab his own, along with his grandson's. They all sat on small mats, a table low to the ground in the center of the cabin. Three beds lined the sides of the walls, stiff cots that barely supported the young Isaak. Nothing else was out of the ordinary, a small house built upon the floating gang-planks. No talking proceeded with the group, the old man leaving to unhook the boat's mooring on to the dock. Instantly, it started to drift away from the area, two automatic "fins" pushing the boat along. A small mast was erected in the midst of the ship, helping to propel it across the windy waters.
"So, if you understand that I'm in a guild, does that mean both of you are in some kind of guild, too?"
"Yeah", answered Yuri having finally started to warm up to the impudent boy. "We're part of a small guild, but it's become one of the most famous ones around. I doubt you would even believe me."
"Really?"
"Yeah." He looked around, displaying a false secrecy. In a low voice, he continued, "Even heard of the Brave Vesperia guild?"
Both eyes indifferent, Isaak responded, "Of course I have. I doubt you could find someone on this planet that doesn't know that guild. But, it's very exclusive and you both don't look like that type."
"Told you."
"Oh, sorry for not believing the blatant lies that you tell me. Honestly, do you want me just to nod my head with a smile?"
"You don't have to believe me, kid. I'm splitting away from that guild today, anyway."
"How convienent of you."
"Hey, I started the frickin' guild. I don't need you debunking everything that I have worked on. If you don't believe me, just live in your blissful lie."
"You want me to accept that as true? Give me a little proof. A guild emblem or something like that. See", Isaak said, showing the small insignia that was embroidered on his scabbard. It was a cross, two swords making it up. Neither Yuri nor Rita recognized the alien symbol.
"What guild is that?"
"Shillegi, the Order of Blades. It's an older, religious based guild that started many years ago. Only the top get accepted as members, and I just happen to be that good."
"Oh, I'm sure it's hard to get in."
"More than you can imagine. But, we're looking for your proof, not mine."
"Yuri, we don't have anything. We didn't carry anything with us even when we were traveling with everyone else."
"That's because we never chose an emblem. Capitan Carol was too focused on other things to even bother with it."
"What an idiot."
"So?" Isaak interjected, both arms crossed. He eyed them with a certain level of distrust, both breaking conventional molds. Although Rita had been the lesser of two evil, she was obviously his cohort, leading to a level of doubt.
"Don't have anything for you, kid. Oh well."
"Oh well? That's all you have to say after such an elaborate lie like that?"
"Pretty much. I don't think you need a question for everything, too. It's getting a little old, you know." Yuri laid back, both eyes closed as he listened to the surrounding world, ignoring the kid and his constant upward inflection. The questions were starting to wear down Rita, too, the young girl gritting her teeth with inhuman force.
"You can get off the boat if you would like. If you're rude to the host, he can just kick you out of here."
"What about your grandfather? I don't think he would accept that…"
"You guys are so-"
"So what?"
"Goddamn. Nothing, you know… Whatever. Just shut the hell up, okay?! I've have about enough of both your brainless little comments."
"What would you honestly do about it?" Yuri was more than inching for a fight, sparing or not. It was an easy way to instigate such an activity.
"…"
"Kid, how about you stop looking like an ass and try to prove some of the crap you're saying. Maybe then I could put up with you." He smiled, an eye watching to see what he would do next. However, no sweat fell from his brow, the pissed teenager more confident that he had previously been. All the showboating both had done set him into a mood of superiority, ready to face the creator of the world itself.
"Yuri, don't."
"No, let him come at me. Let him prove what he can do. He's not going to earn anyone's respect doing everything half-assed." Rita watched him with a bit of caution, looking at him with some concern. It's not as if the younger man threatened him, but rather he didn't want Yuri to hurt the poor kid.
"Okay. I'll fight you, if only to wipe that smug grin off your face. Maybe it would help you to be humbled a little."
"Kid, I've seen too much in the past long months to be anything but humble. Trust me; I've lived through quite a bit." Isaak finally noticed the small glint in his eye, the spark that showed a shallow picture of the age in all his endeavors. It shined a small glimmer of light on his personality, Isaak slowly understanding his bravado.
"Show me." He would like to see his power. Now, he could only feel the pure energy that he could fight with, his spirit welling up beyond what was normal. Even a blue aura radiated around the blade tied to his wrist.
"Gladly." Yuri's eyes turned black, a wide smiling crossing his face. He could revel in combat, the skill both his best means of communication and expression. It was an art and he was the master.
Both met on the front of the ship, sideways rain pelting them from every side. Lightning rumbled off in the distance, grapeshot from small cannons attacking the massive waves that crested and troughed. The waters were an eerie white, ghostly reflections moving up and down along the rioting storm. Clouds moved in and out with an incredible haste, a turbulent cycle of whirlwinds. Tsunamis spun beneath the ship, both silhouetted figures rocking with the boat. It was as if the boards were pulling apart, the elderly man watching from the small window within the cabin. Rita leaned against the wall, trying with insecure precision to balance herself.
"Ready?"
"I guess."
"This weather a little much?" The young figure kept moving the wet hair out of his face, trying to part it to one side. Yuri's own hair was flailing back and forth, the black strands clumping together in massive knots.
"Doesn't seem to bother you at all. But, enough small talk." He brandished the scabbard, the dull sheath almost as intimidating as the well-kept wakazashi was. It reminded him of a distinct fighting style he had witnessed before. Ignoring the pressing thought, he threw his own sheath into the sea, Second Star empowered by the storm. He could almost see Isaak reeling in terror at what he had gotten into.
Moving forward, he gave a forward slash, the young teen barely able to realize what was happening. He blocked with the casing, retaliating with a quick parry. Yuri had disappeared however, appearing behind him. With a swift kick, he sent the kid reeling ahead, stumbling over the slippery surface.
"Come on! You have to try!" He only gritted his teeth at this, pivoting on his flat footed heel. Unexpectedly, he threw the sheath at Yuri, him moving slightly to the left as it soared by his head. Not noticing the small tether attached, he didn't catch the return of the dull weapon, it smacking him with slight impudence. Yuri only laughed, grabbing and severing the weapon from him. "Demon Flare!" A giant flash of red light lit up the ground and sky, a brilliant crimson reflecting against the porcelain sky. Isaak took the full brunt of the attack, his body crumpling as it fell to the wooden floor, nearly falling overboard. But the look of his eyes before being attacked by the final strike was crystal clear: he had given up, surrendering with a scared look. Once the attack had struck him, he let himself fall into a semi-state of consciousness. Yuri scoffed, walking over, the storm's ferocity peaking. He slunk the kid over his shoulder and brought him back into the cabin. Had hadn't used a fraction of his energy.
Rita watched as the boat slowly entered the bustling port of Dahngrest, pulling up next to a giant ship, the same model as the Fierita was. Its shadow overwhelmed the rest of the ships lining the port, no vessel nearly as impressive. Yuri looked at Rita, a smile on his face.
"Finally made it back to civilization."
"We weren't gone very long, you know. I just hope you didn't hurt Isaak too much. I don't have Estelle's healing ability, so the meager mana I gave him could only help him marginally." Hearing the old friend's name made him visibly cringe.
"He'll be fine. I didn't use any physical power behind my attack. I could see that he feared for his life. Nice ambient weather, too. Really added to the effect." He smiled, checking over Second Star. It was wet, the sharp edges with a soft appearance. Yet, he had lost his sheath, leaving no ample protection for it. She noticed it, looking upon it with a small face of suspicion.
"What happened to your nice blade cover?"
"Oh, I threw it into the sea. Don't really care about it. I can easily replace it as easily as breathing."
"You should have a little more respect for your things. We don't have the financial backing that we did with Brave Vesperia."
"Still."
"Still nothing. Come on, Yuri. We got to start living a little more frugally." She frowned, crossing her arms.
"I live frugally. I was the least attached to materialistic possessions that the rest of our group. Honestly, did you not ever notice me?"
"Never mind."
"I'm kidding, okay? Just messing around with you." She blushed at this, getting a little angrier every second. Both hands clenched into a fist, Rita stomped ahead of him and moved off into the city, it still lively in the midst of the weather. "Rita, come on. I was just kidding!" She kept moving, an eye looking back at him. She smiled, mouthing the word "respect". Rolling her eyes, she entered the inn, Yuri a few yards behind, running after her. He was finally tired of rain, for the first time.
The main plot will start to be fleshed on in the next couple of chapters, especially as both get more involved with the Guild that they start. Please, read and review and thanks. Keep readin' -AMP
