Bring back this soul from Purgatory! Resurrection!!
Regal Bryant Lover: Really? I mean I planned for something like that to happen, but I didn't realize that I used the actual imposters.
On the way to Hima, Claire and Bruno decided to tell me a little bit about themselves. It turns out that they work for an orphanage. Basically, every once in a while they leave Hima to get some supplies as well as doing a little treasure hunting for some funds, but they try to do it as little as possible. It sounds like there are some Half-elvin kids there, and the owner of the orphanage's family was taken away by the Desians before he came to Hima. The guy tends to abuse the Half-elvin kids.
Speaking of which, they also decided to give me some more info about the Desians. They didn't really tell me much more than I found out from the game except that only the higher ranking Desians have exsphere. Travelers usually aren't bothered by them that much since some of the monster, especially the ones from near Hima, are stronger than a Desian at base power.
We unanimously decided that we should keep the knowledge of me being from a different world on a need to know basis. Mainly because there is no actual proof that I am from another world, I'm going to have to change clothes at some point, and the longer I stay here the less I'll be able to play ignorant.
"So what is your world like?" Claire asked as we reached the base of the mountain.
"My world, Earth, is a lot different than here." I responded (read: Stalled) as I tried to think up of what I should tell them and what I shouldn't tell them.
"Obviously." Bruno responded with a 'no duh' expression. He was probably referring to that Cockatrice that attacked us a while back. Seeing as I was unarmed and have no experience combating giant chickens, I was pretty useless.
"Well excuse me for coming from a world that doesn't have giant monsters trying to kill us at every waking moment" I responded.
"Since you didn't know what a Half-elf was, I assume that the humans and elves of your world have yet to interbreed." Claire commented.
"I wouldn't know personally, but I'd image its kind of difficult having intercourse with something that doesn't exist." I replied. This had the unforeseen affect of Bruno shouting the word 'What' and Clair stopping in disbelief. "I mean sure we have stories and myths about Elves, but they don't actually exist on earth."
"So you come from a world without discrimination? It must be nice, living in peace." Claire commented with melancholy as she turned her gaze to path below.
"Not exactly. We've become discriminatory to our own species, mainly by where they're from or what religion they believe in." I answered with a sigh.
"What do you mean religion? You mean there are people who don't believe in the Goddess?" Bruno asked with speculation.
"The three main religions all worship the same God; they just differ in how they worship him." I explained.
"Perhaps it is best if we stop talking of your world in specifics for now. We're almost there and someone might overhear us." Claire suggested. I didn't even realize that we started going up hill.
"So, do you guys have any ideas how I could get home?" I asked as we neared the dimly lit mountain village. It was bigger than I remember it being in the game; there were two rather large buildings that I assume were the inn and the orphanage. There were a few houses scattered about but they looked like they hadn't been used in a long time.
"Perhaps we should try the Tower of Mana?" Claire suggested.
"Tower of Mana?" I asked. I was honestly curious. How was going to one of the seals going to help me?
"The Tower of Mana was built at the end of the Kharlan War. The walls of it are said to be lined with ancient texts. People have been adding to it for centuries. If anything like this has happened before, you'll probably find record of it at there." Claire explained.
"What are you doing back so soon? You just left a little while ago." A voice said. We turned our attention to the two people coming for us.
The first, and probably the one who called out to us, was a boy. He was about the same size as me so I guessing he is around sixteen or seventeen years old. He wore his long blue hair in a ponytail that reached the middle of his back. He was wearing a white jacket and… Didn't know Sylvarant had skin-tight leather pants. He was also carrying a broad sword.
Next to him was a little girl. She looked about the size of my little brother, so I'm assuming she was around ten years old. She had really light blonde hair that almost looked white, and gold colored eyes. Her outfit looked like a poofy dress that wouldn't look out of place on a doll. She also had a toy Rapier at her waist.
"Clair, what are you and Bruiser Bruno doing back?" the girl asked in sugary-sweet tone. Bruiser Bruno? What is that about?
"What? You guys not happy to have us around?" Bruno asked jokingly.
"No but you just left. And who is the guy in the weird outfit?" the guy asked. Wow, dude. Way to make a guy feel welcome.
"Don't be rude, Decus. This is Leo. He's a traveler we found unconscious a little ways away from here." Claire explained. Decus. Why did that name sound so familiar?
"If he's a traveler why doesn't he have any stuff with him?" the girl asked in an overly sweet tone.
"Your guess is as good as mine." I answered upon seeing Decus and the girl's look of confusion I decided to elaborate. "Last thing I remember was lying in bed, about to fall asleep. Next thing I know I'm waking up in a field with two people hovering over me."
"Was it a kidnapping?" Deus pondered aloud with his hand rubbing his chin. Why would anybody want to kidnap me? And furthermore how could they take me to a different planet before I woke up?
"If it was a kidnapping why would they just dump him in the middle of a field?" The girl asked her tone was darker but strangely still sweet. "Dummy" she added as she kicked Decus in the shin.
"Alice! That was uncalled for!" Claire reprimanded. Wait a tick. Alice? As in the sadist monster enslaving Alice? That Alice?
"What was? The name-calling or the shin-kick?" I asked as I tried to suppress the thought of this Alice and the Alice that probably went around kicking puppies for fun were most likely one and the same. Although she looked younger than I thought she would
"Your funny, Curly-Burns." Alice replied with a giggle as Claire just looked at me with a WTH expression. Now as to why she probably called me Curly-Burns was my curly side-burns. You see I have a habit of tucking my hair behind my ears. I also have no idea when the hairline ends and the side burns begin, thus leading me to accidentally tuck my side burn hair behind my ears. Years of doing this has lead to my sideburn hair growing in curly.
"Oh come on! You haven't even known him five minutes and you've already given him a nickname. You've known me for years and still haven't given me one!" Decus complained.
"That's because you're annoying." Alice retorted. How does she get her voice to have a mixture of sweetness and scorn?
"Um, are you guys going to bicker or are you going to tell me who you are?" I asked. It's not like I haven't figure it out yet but it's just a formality.
"Sorry. I'm Decus and this little sadist is Alice." Decus replied which earned him another shin-kick from Alice.
"I could have introduced myself." Alice remarked.
"If you two could stop bickering for a moment?" I asked with a cough to get their attention. "Do you know a place were a guy with no money could spend the night?" I asked.
"Just pick a house and stay there. No one other then the people who work at the orphanage and the orphans themselves actually live here. Everyone else just stays for various amounts of time." Decus explained
"So why have an inn?" I asked. Why pay when you can stay for free?
"So that people who aren't staying long can stay in a nice place. In case you haven't noticed, most of the houses are in serious disrepair" Bruno explained while gesturing to a house that was missing its roof for emphasis.
" K. I'm going to sleep, see you guys tomorrow." I said as I headed for one of the dilapidated that still had a roof.
"Already!? But it's not even that late yet!" Alice asked.
"Yeah but I don't normally get out that much." I replied
"So you're tired from a little walking? What kind of man are you?" Decus asked complete with accusing finger point.
"One who's not used to fighting for his life. Later, peoples!" I said as I walked away.
I'm sorry about the delay. I had started working on this months earlier, but I stopped because I had to use Word for school stuff and I didn't want to accidentally type something in the wrong Document. Afterwards I just never got around to. The only reason I started working on it again was a horoscope that said I would finish a personal project today. My mind interperted that as this Chapter.
I'd like to point out that you might be seeing that opening AN line alot throughout this fic.
As for Alice and Decus not really getting along. They didn't start likeing each other until the orphanage was burnt down. This takes place before then. Fun fact, did you know Decus is six years older than Alice?