CHAPTER III: SHELTER
My feet touch the ground with less panic this time, my mind surprisingly excited at being back in Astera. The girl leaps off my back and stands next to me, eying me curiously as I inhale and exhale. "Well...we're back...and I really didn't think this through," I say aloud as I turn towards home, the girl walking next to me and matching my pace easily. "I mean...one day you find yourself running errands for the town...the next you just survived contact with a Great Jagras and are bringing a girl home with you-"
"Fukaya," the girl says as we walk, my pace stopping so I can turn to her in confusion. "Is...is that your name?" I ask her and she repeats the word while gesturing gently with her hand towards herself. I nod my head and look away slightly before turning back to her with a grin. "Ok, Fukaya...this may get me into deeper trouble than before but...nothing ventured, nothing gained...right?" I say to her as I turn back towards home but she doesn't move. I turn back when I see that she isn't following, tilting my head when she stands in place. "Lye," I hear her say as she points at me, my head still tilted slightly as I head back to where she's standing. "Uh...yeah, that's me...Lye Saffron, Initiate hunter...I said that...right?" I state awkwardly, disturbed slightly when she smiles at me and places the hand on my chest. "Lye," she says again, brushing my chest in a strange manner that I don't understand.
"Well, we don't have to go home just yet I think. I say we turn in the quest, have a drink, and then go home...is that fine with you?" I blurt to break the awkwardness but she doesn't seem to hear me, eying my chest as her hand brushes it. I move my hand into hers and start to guide her away, still smiling awkwardly as she follows. "I'll take that as a yes so...let's get going...I guess..." I say timidly, awkwardly walking towards the Guildhall to turn in the quest items with Fukaya walking beside me. She doesn't let go of my hand, her footsteps near silent as she follows. "Lye," she says again, my head looking at her to find her staring back intensely at me. "Uh...is there something you need? You keep saying my name," I ask her but she just stares and offers no insight into what she's thinking. I shrug and continue to walk, wiggling my fingers in her hand playfully because she has no intention of letting it go.
"Fair enough. You'll tell me when you're good and ready. My mom taught me that," I say confidently as I keep walking, the strange, white-haired girl Fukaya walking silently along with me.
"20 Gourmet Shroomcaps intact. I'd say you did a splendid job," Lapis states as she eyes the items we gave her, wrapping them back up in their makeshift skin pouch and pushing them to the side. She pulls out two leather pouches and passes them across the wooden table, gesturing for us to pick them up. "Your payment for a quest completed. Congratulations on passing your initiation as well. You're both now Rank 1 Hunters and I'll make sure that you're briefed when you decide to take another quest," she states professionally as she gestures for us to leave, my head nodding as I take the one bag off the table and turn to the exit.
My progress doesn't go far because Fukaya hasn't let go of my hand and hasn't moved, my body now stuck in place as she gently picks up the other bag. Lapis laughs as she witnesses this, my shoulders slumping and my face frowning in humiliation. "I see you're now working together. It might do you good to learn more about each other if you plan on working together in the future," she advises and I'm smart enough to sense the innuendo in her remark. I quickly move back to the table and gently take the bag from Fukaya, her eyes looking at me curiously as I gesture for us to leave. She nods her head as I reorient us to face the door, awkwardly waving with my hand to Lapis while holding two bags of money.
It's only when we get outside that I attach both bags to my belt and pick up Fukaya by the waist, swinging us around in a circle with loud laughter to her visible confusion. "Our first quest completed as a team! This is a good day! And we're officially hunters now!" I exclaim excitedly as she looks at me, my smile still bright as I put her down. I twinge slightly and put my free hand on my back when it starts to sting, my smile still present but now awkward. "You...aren't so light in full gear...remind me not to do that again," I groan in pain as she simply responds with yes. I tap the pouches on my belt and say confidently to her, "Let me handle the money aspect. I'm good with haggling since I spent years of my youth doing that. My dad's the blacksmith too so I can get stuff for cheap. Just...be sure to...wait, how's this gonna work?"
"Writing," she says as she pulls out a book with a free hand, opening it and gesturing with a finger at the pages. I immediately recognise the language of the wild, one of the most complicated dialects in hunting lore. One I learned because it's so interesting and my mom taught me it at a young age. "Those who I tell my name can speak for me...so you're saying because you trust me with a name, I can speak for you?" I ask her in confusion, her head nodding once as she puts the book away. I cringe slightly at finding myself with a heavy amount of responsibility. "So I...am the speaker for a wild one...and just yesterday I was a courier delivering supplies around Astera..." I say while shaking my head, looking over at Fukaya who looks at me patiently. "Well...until you find someone better who can do you a better service, I'll do as best as I'm able but first, let's go home," I say confidently as I start to move towards home again, Fukaya once again following silently next to me.
I am so dead when I get home...but it was a good life...
"You have the guts to come home after everything you put us through today!?" my mother shouts at me as my first foot enters the door, the rest of me entering slowly with Fukaya following behind. The sight of her sends my mother into a further rage as she slams a free hand on the wooden table she's sitting at. "And who the hell is this!? Some little wench you picked up on your little damn adventures!?"
"Her names Fukaya, a wild one who's my hunting partner," I say plainly, moving her to stand next to me as I close the door behind me. She moves back behind me and I can feel her unease, not blaming her for acting such a way. Mother doesn't seem to relent on her anger as she laughs arrogantly at me. "A wild one!? You expect me to believe that!? All I see is a little shrimp with a weapon she can barely lift! No wonder you two get along!" she shouts as she takes a drag of Dragon Ale, slamming the bottle on the table as she stares me down in hostility.
I look back to Fukaya and nod, her hand releasing mine as I step forward and reveal my shoulder, removing the shield to show the scars on my elbow. Suddenly, my mother grows very still and much of her fury is gone at the sight of the scars. "That's...hunting scars...and by the look of it...a Jagras pack..." she says in a low voice, her eye looking at me then looking away as I clarify. "Yeah and if it wasn't for the woman you just called a wench, I'd be in the stomach of a Great Jagras right now. She's my hunting partner and will be staying here with me. End of discussion," I spit as I toss the two bags of money on the table in front of her, not deigning to stick around as I head past her to my room with Fuyaka behind. I nod to my dad as I pass, his nod tense but genuine as he has something akin to respect on his face.
I open and close the door silently, not wanting to cause more of a ruckus to those who live around us and hoping that mother wouldn't shout anymore tonight. I let out a sigh of relief at both being able to confront her on even terms and the lack of a beating received from her. "That...was terrifying..." I admit to Fukaya as I turn around, her form still in the doorway as she eyes my room. I get annoyed with her when she simply drops her equipment on the floor as she walks towards my bed, my body swiftly moving to pick up the debris. "Hey! Don't trash my room as soon as you-" I try to say but she's already crawling into my bed, pushing herself under the sheets and turning away from me. "Hey! You still have blood on your-" I try to say but a heavy knock on the door interrupts me and I groan at the sudden interruption. "Open up. I have something to say," I hear my mother say and I quickly put the gear in my hands into a pile on the floor before heading to the door.
When I open it, strong arms pick me up and hug me tightly, a gasp escaping me at the sudden pressure. "I'm sorry...I just...I just wanted to keep you safe...but..." my mother states between sobs but I'm trying to squirm out of the worst of her grip. She seems to get the hint, easing her grip enough for me to breathe. "But I'm a terrible parent...I'm a hunter, not a parent...your dad knows better than I how to parent...I don't know what you need from me and there's such a rift between us that-"
"Mom, it's okay," I say as I return her hug, something I thought I'd never do in my lifetime. "I understand what you wanted to spare me from now...hunting is the most dangerous path I can take and you know that because you lived it...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for not listening..." I say as I feel my own tears start to fall. She continues to sob out of her remaining eye as I keep speaking in a sad tone. "I'll be careful, mom...and I'll always come home...I promise you that..." I whisper as her hug becomes crushing again, a grunt of pain escaping me when I hear my back pop. "Easy on the hug, mom..." I croak as she relents again, finally putting me down and using one of her hands to wipe her eye of tears.
She chuckles to herself as she pats my right shoulder on the scar, my hand moving to cover hers as she places it there. "And to think a few hours ago, you were a naive little bastard thinking he knew everything...you still are, by the way..." she says jokingly as I smile up at her, taking the joke in good humour. "I know, mom...doing my best here..." I say jokingly as well, her face grinning as she taps me on the forehead with a finger, the hand missing an index finger. "Don't let this get to your head. Hunting is a dangerous business and now that I know you aren't dissuaded from it, I'm gonna be a lot harder on you now," she states in a threatening manner but I smile and nod, eliciting her to smile in return.
"I know, mom...because now, I'm stepping into your world..."
That night, I dreamed of monsters again, this time real monsters that slaughtered everything they could find and consumed their meat in an orgy of blood, claws and jaws. They notice me watching them at some point and come for me but this time I'm ready for them, sword and shield in hand as I brace to receive their charge. The shield blocks the worst of the damage but shatters under their assault, forcing me to fall back away from them. I dodge their frenzy as best I can but find their claws painful when they connect, the pain bringing me to my knees. I look up to see the jaws of a Great Jagran coming to consume me whole but a hammer of bone impacts its head and sends it sideways, the figure wielding it yelling at me to get up and fight. My limbs are deadened by the trauma and I can't move when the monster regains its footing and lunges at the figure who doesn't know of her danger.
I surge to my feet despite the pain and push the figure aside with my arms but in doing so, I put myself in the way of the monster attack and find myself about to be devoured. All I can do is smile as the monster puts me in its mouth and clamps down.
My eyes snap open as I gasp in alarm, looking around the room to reorient myself. My breathing is rapid until I realize that I'm in my own room, doing my best to slow my heart down and slow my breathing to manageable levels. "Fear," I hear a voice say, my heart lurching in my chest at her words but a smile creeping onto my face when I remember who's speaking. "Don't do that...scared the shit outa me..." I chuckle as I turn my head towards Fukaya, finding her face almost touching mine when I bring her into view. My head lurches back along with most of my body but I'm unable to move far as her arm and leg are holding me in place. "Uh...hi...is...is this normal for you?" I say timidly with a blush but she just stares like she always does, a sigh escaping me as I turn around in her grip. "What time is it anyway?" I state groggily as I yawn before laughing to myself at the ridiculousness of the question.
I use my hand to mimic a mouth as I form her reply. "Time for you to get up. Oh, I would say that if I ever decided to speak in full sentences," I mimic jokingly as I shake my head with a smile, patting her hand on my chest with mine in understanding. "Relax, Fukaya. I know wild ones say one word that means many words. I'm just joking," I say as confidently as possible, pulling myself up with more force now that I have someone clinging to my body. I'm able to sit on the best with her draped over my back. "Of course, you and me sharing the same bed is a bit of an issue...what if people get the wrong impression...particularly my parents?"
"Partners," she says simply, moving a hand across my chest in a suggestive way. Suddenly, I turn myself sideways to look at her, opening my mouth but forming no words as she stares back at me in her usual neutral expression. "Wait...when you say that...do you mean like...romantic...partners?" I stutter and am further shocked when she slowly nods her head. I follow through with the thought, part smiling and part shocked. "You...do know what romantic...means...right?" I ask, sighing in relief when she shakes her head no. "I'll explain it later but for now, we have hunter things to do. Time to get up!" I say while tapping her on the left shoulder twice, my body turning back around and bracing. I surge to my feet but with my body still recovering, I'm pulled back down to the bed with Fukaya's weight on my back.
Despite the lack of progress, I laugh about it anyway. "I can't get up if you don't and we can't stay in this room all day. Stop playing around," I tell her, Fukaya moving out from behind my back to sit on the edge of the bed with me. I offer my hand that she takes and am finally able to move out of bed, Fukaya following along as I start to strap on my gear stacked neatly nearby one-handed. She does the same when we get to her gear, hand jumbling the neat pile as she rearms. "This is gonna be harder to do as we get better equipment," I comment as I put my belt on and attach the shield and sword to my back with difficulty. She gives me no answer as I expect and soon after much struggling, we both have hunting gear on ready for questing.
"Lye! Get your lazy ass out of bed! You're a hunter now so start acting like it!" my mom shouts from the other side of my bedroom door, my face smiling cynically as I hear the words. "See? You got me in trouble now. Next time, let's get up when we need to?" I say to Fuyaka who nods her head once and gestures with her hand for me to head toward the outside. As soon as I open the door, the smell of food hits me and I look around to see mom and dad sitting at our wooden dining table impatiently for me to arrive, both of them grinning to themselves when they see us. Two chairs are reserved for us in front of a huge spread of meat and vegetables and my head spins at how elaborate the spread is. "What's...the occasion?" I ask timidly as I guide Fuyaka to the table, Fuyaka reaching for the food with her free hand but my dad tapping her hand to stop her. "You're now a hunter, a rank 1! Your father and I, if it ever happened, decided to reward you for such a feat with a nice meal and a talk over how your life ended up this way!" she exclaims with a grin, her hands already moving to divvy out the food in equal portions to everyone. Dad is the one who picks up the conversation next. "And since your mother is so excited about you becoming a great hunter, I set aside a fine upgrade to your gear that-"
"Dad, that's against the hunter code," I interject, my mother laughing loudly as my dad stops mid-sentence. "Oh? And what does the code say about this?" my mother gloats as she slides two plates towards us, Fukaya digging into the plate with little table manners. I ignore the food for the moment, seeing my mother eyeing me seriously for an answer. "A hunter has to earn their gear by hunting. It can't be given by someone else. Others can aid in the hunt but no one but the hunter can upgrade their gear," I say confidently, my mother laughing loudly again as I take a bite out of the meat in front of me. My eyes close as the succulent meat becomes the entire world to me, nothing but its goodness relevant to my existence. Wow...that's...that's Aptonoth...that's pretty good... "Lye! Pay attention to the conversation and not the food!" my mother shouts at me, my eyes snapping open and finding her face smiling darkly at me. "What I asked is what will your next hunts be?" she says to me with a grin, my answer already formed from yesterday as I swallow the meat and focus on her again. "I'm gonna keep it low key for now. Gathering and simple quests. I don't feel like I'm ready to hunt anything larger with the current gear I have-"
"Hear that, honey? Our son is thinking like a tactician! I told you those lessons would come in handy in his future!" my mother gloats to my dad who dips his head in defeat. "Yes, dear..." is his only response as he starts to eat the food in front of him, his mood shifting to euphoria as he has the same appreciation for the food as I did moments ago. "Aptonoth..." he whispers as he goes for another bite, my mother scoffing at us all for our behaviour. "Yes, yes. We all appreciate it when I cook Aptonoth meat for the house. Now will you both quit acting foolish and get a move on?" she says with mock scorn, her smile giving off the impression that she's enjoying herself. Guilt pangs me before I can start eating again, a foul thought entering my mind that I needed to address. 'I...I will be a great hunter, mom...I just...I just need time-"
"Don't do this for me, Lye. Do this for yourself," she states simply with sadness. Her smile is not as bright when she nods to me in understanding. "I had a good career as a hunter but...you already know that story. My time is over...but your time is now. Don't waste that time trying to prove something to me or your father or anyone. Hunt because you want to hunt," she says sadly and I nod while having to wipe my eyes from the few tears that come. "Stay strong, Lye. That's the only advice I can give you. Like hunting, the rest is up to you. Never forget this-"
"I won't, mom...I won't..." I say as the tears start to fall freely, my mind reeling as my world turns upside down and everything I thought of in my youth is revealed as wrong.
I used to hate her...I used to hate what she said to me...but now I understand...