Prior to their departure from the ruins of the Mineras, a sort of agreement, or rather a sort of ofference was reached. The male arriving on the scene; the white haired one who seemed to be a stoneholder as well, lent Erin and Lucina his assistance.
Despite their little to nonexistent ties with one another, it seemed each was well-aware that they couldn't simply leave Lizzy unconscious and unable to fend for herself in the course rubble of the mines. Especially not with such a dark and little-known team of two roaming around.
For that set reason, they had agreed to take the male up on his offer to escort them to a place where Lizzy would be able to heal at ease -and hopefully quicker.
Unfortunately, that short place up ahead he had mentioned was looking more like that far place up several miles.
"We've been walking for a while," Lucina noted under her breath, feeling extra strain producing a sleepful feeling from deep within her muscles and joints from carrying Lizzy in tow. Sure, the young girl was far from being particularly heavy, but the fact remained that the weight of a human body ontop of miles of walking could be a challenge and especially so while the air began to warm.
"I don't know why we followed him anyway," Erin sharply whispered back to Lucina, wearing a distrustful expression. His blue eyes shifted back and forward between she and the hazel-eyed male that was leading them, "He could be in with those guys. We could be following him right into his trap..!"
Now, with interests piqued, the leading man turned around with arms folded. He proceeded to walk backwards, and although he seemed to carry a serious expression at first, his lips quickly gave way to a dark smirk, "Yeah... That's right.. I led you hear so that no one could save you..." His voice had taken on a tone far from his own, a dark growl notable as he spoke, "My team is ready to pounce and take your stone on my signal."
"Uah!" Faltering for a moment, but rebounding right back onto his dominant foot, the light brown haired male proceeded a straightforward stride to him slightly, but then stopped to point an accusatory finger, "I told you I didn't trust him, Lucina!" Like a child enthusiastically exhibiting proof to their mother, Erin looked back to judge her reaction, but to his surprise, she looked completely unfazed.
"Ah, I'm just kidding," Waving him off, the white haired male shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, "If I was really some stone-stealing prick, I would have taken you out a long time ago. I could have, you know." Raising his black-threaded necklace once again, he hooked the edges of the material between his index and middle fingers, dangling the stone at the end of it in a taunting motion, "Since I have a stone and all..." The entirety of his features seemed to ring out in a certain arrogant amusement. Watching Erin get all riled up over nothing just made him feel a little more powerful than he already knew he was.
And like he anticipated, Erin's face flew into a deep pout of displeasure, "Okay, okay, I get it now! How many times are you gonna say it! You have a stone and we don't!"
"That's right. Wanna hear it again?" The hazel-eyed male playfully prodded.
"Not really! Because it's not important!"
"Oh?"
"Yeah! I could beat you even WITH your stupid stone!"
"Sounds like challenge to me..." He seemed to be far more amused than before, but even so, he ran his fingers against his chin in thought as though pondering, "Alright...Fine. When we reach our destination, then you owe me a match."
Faltering back slightly in his stance, Erin had to take the time to consider just what his big mouth had gotten him into. Still, now that the deed was done, he had to own up to what he'd said, despite his nerves doing their best to talk some sense into his daring mind, "F...Fine!" There was a bit of ease to this. After all, who knew when they would be showing up to this so-long-traveled-to destination...Right?
"Oh look, we're here."
Drawing pale, Erin looked back to Lucina for some kind of comfort or words of wisdom, but instead he only received the redhead's signature shrug and expression that pointed to him being an idiot in so many unspoken words, "Al...ready?"
"Pshyeah... It would have been a shorter trip, but I kinda like the scenic route," He made a subtle smirk in their direction, but blew it off immediately to the tune of laughter, "Hope you don't mind much!"
While Erin stared incredulously, Lucina only shook her head and proceeded to follow the leading male.
Their long-awaited destination didn't seem to be much. They had traveled through the forested area for quite some time, so naturally it seemed they weren't near any particular town. There were heavy shade trees around a small plot of land that was cleared off to house a small constructed cabin. It seemed as though, from the structural integrity and time put into its build that it was painstakingly constructed by hand. Despite the home-made feel to it, it was very well-made.
He hopped up to the door and went to open it, but pausing for a moment as though evaluating another option, he turned his hazel eyes to the group, "Wait here a second."
Obediently, Lucina and Erin followed through with his request, just spectating as he navigated around the side of the cabin and out of view.
By now, Lucina was beginning to feel a little overexerted, and unfortunately, Lizzy hadn't made any signs of awakening,luckily, however, she seemed to be making expressions and motions that pointed to her body having little-to-no difficulty with its future recovery.
Erin, on the other hand, seemed to be fretting about the future of his own well-being, what with the rash decision of initiating a challenge weighing on his shoulders. Regardless, he seemed to keep a rather calm disposition, "Where did-"
"Right here, Pipsqueak," The white haired male casually interjected, hopping from ground to top step in a simple stride. For some reason, he seemed quite at ease with everything, but that was likely because he, with a stone, could most-likely keep a lot of threats at bay. He eased the key into the lock and pushed open the door, revealing the inside of the cabin, "Home sweet home!" He casually remaked, tucking the dingy metal key away into his pocket whilst leading the two in.
The room looked rather cozy, warm, and of course, wooden. There seemed to be just necessities hanging around: A wood stove against the wall, a few countertops, and furnishings like a few chairs, a table and such. Not stopping to allow the two time to explore, he continued to beckon them to trot behind him to a narrow hallway.
Looked like there were a few rooms, some of which with closed doors, and one looking to be a bathroom. While Lucina followed the leading hazel-eyed guy into the room that seemed to be his own, Erin peered into one of the slightly revealed rooms on his right.
He pressed his head slightly against the wood of the hall to open a line of sight for his blue eye through the cracked door. A bed? Dresser? The door creaked ever-so-slightly as he attempted to get a better look. What would be the need of having another room? Perhaps it seemed like a normal thing to keep in a home, but Erin's suspicious nature kept him on edge about every detail, despite how common.
"Hey," It was a soft, yet warning tone via the white haired male in the other room. Despite there being a serious edge, it almost seemed like he was playful in saying so, "You'd better not be snooping, stoneless boy..."
A chill ran down the blue eyed boy's spine, his body trembling for some reason. It was hard to explain, but the jokester had a natural knack of getting his nerves in a frightful twist. "Ahh.. N-nope!" He replied, turning around despite the ever-growing paleness in his face. He flinched as the man's fingers were suddenly latched onto his chin, giving a slight squeeze at the sides while his head was raised in the attempt to force their lines of sight into crossing.
"Good. But that reminds me, kid," The male smirked, hazel eyes seeming to glint deviously as he released his grip from the stunned Erin, "You still owe me a match don't you? Oh, it'll be pretty fun wiping the floor with y-"
"Cirrus... You're not torturing this kid, are you?" Stepping around the corner with heavy footsteps came a male who, despite being notably relaxed and soft in speech, seemed to be quite enormous with a clear gift of intimidation. His hair was black, and relatively spiky in a fashion that gave limited view to his light colored blue eyes. Not only was his muscular build rather prominent, but in terms of altitude, he towered over Erin and Lucina... And even though Cirrus was quite a bit taller, even he was completely outclassed in height.
That, however, seemed to be the least of the white haired male [Cirrus]'s worries. His expression drooped into a dull look, his lips twitching together in a bit of disdain, "Geez, Jarren... I'm just playing with the kid." He looked over to the large male in question, expression growing evermore bemused, "...And would it kill ya to put on a shirt?"
He spoke words of truth. The mountainous male, Jarren, was bare-chested, the scars and burns littered across his torso doing little to alleviate the sense of fright that had swelled in Erin's chest. "This is a tensionless house, Cirrus," Jarren offered with a faint smirk, raising his hand to offer a strong pat on the back that send Cirrus slightly jolting forward, "Let's not harbor jealousy."
"I'm not jealous," Huffed the hazel eyed male, folding his arms while looking to his companion with a raised brow, "Let's see someone as big as you do backflips like me, WITHOUT breaking the planet, hm?"
As the two continued to converse, Erin stared to them with a troubled expression. If Cirrus hadn't raised enough suspicion, Jarren sealed the deal. If the two decided they'd go evil and wipe Lucina, Lizzy and he out, there would likely be nothing to stop them. The helpless thought made him shudder.
"She probably won't be-...Why isn't he wearing a shir-" Lucina began, stopping and pointing an awkwardly crooked finger to Jarren.
"Nevermind that, he does that," Cirrus quickly waved off the concern, motioning for her to continue.
"Anyway.. It doesn't seem she'll be waking up for a while," Lucina relayed, stepping completely from the room where Lizzy was resting.
Cirrus's expression seemed to sink even more, "I hope she gets her ass up before nightfall..." He droned, stuffing his hands haphazardly into his pocket, "I'd feel guilty making an unconscious chick sleep on the floor."
"No way to treat a lady..." Jarren muttered, shaking his head in disappointment towards his light haired companion.
"Looks like we both have to keep our conscious clean," Lucina offered, settling her hands upon her hips while looking to the two males "I don't have any business with her, but she's neither of your responsibilities either." Adjusting weight from one leg to the other, she seemed to roll her eyes, "So I'll stick around and see to her recovery."
"Wha!?" Whirring around to face the redheaded female, Erin's blue eyes seemed to grow to the size of saucers, "We're staying?!"
"I'M. Staying," Lucina corrected, red eyes growing somewhat harsh as she narrowed them towards the young male, "I don't have any ties with you either, and having you underfoot would just cause me trouble. Leave if you want."
Erin's face seemed to drop slightly, a frown beginning on his lips. It was nothing but the truth, but with the craziness of the events that had taken place, he couldn't help but feel that they had somehow grown some sort of friendship or bond. She had only explained the stone business to him, after he had gone and caused her endless trouble when it came to her own. Maybe he really should be heading out to set out on his own.
"Oh no you don't," Cirrus quickly interjected, drawing his hand around a bunch of Erin's shirt and pulling him closer while his hazel eyes glinted with a dark amusement, "You've gotta fight me still."
"Maybe that's not the best idea," Jarren began in a hesitant coax, "He looks a bit..." Weak? Feeble? Stoneless? Scared as Hell? "...Unwilling."
"Oh don't worry about it... We can just... Give him a little stone training..." Something about that one of voice hinted to stone training not exactly being what he was up to... Regardless, he seemed more than happy to pluck the young boy up.
Jarren glanced over to Lucina, as though gauging for a reaction or waiting for approval or disapproval, but this gesture was not exactly welcomed.
"I don't care. He's not mine," Lucina quickly spoke up, looking to the black haired male with a straight-forward tone. Maybe she was being a little too hostile. After all, they had practically opened up their house and regardless of being firm in making sure her point got across, she didn't need to be so hardened. "Actually... He did give me a lot of trouble with my stone," She suddenly trailed, causing Erin to flinch and pale.
"Lucina, wait!" Erin feverishly plead, flailing his arms in a 'halt' gesture that the tomboyish girl did little more than overlook.
"Go ahead. I might even watch."
"YES!"
"NOOOOOOOOO!"