Ugh guess what? I sprained my finger during the week, boy that makes typing hard DX
Chapter Four:
Alice sat on the bench, hugging Tsuki close to her. Alice had only been on a train a few times in her life, and the experience was always slightly unnerving. Although this time it would be Alice's first time getting on a train with friends, making poor Alice even more nervous.
"Calm down will you?" Tsuki demanded irritably. Alice knew the canine hated trains as well.
Nevertheless Alice released her grip a little. She looked at the others, Noell was sitting calmly on the bench next to her, Marlow hovering slightly above her head. Cody sat on the arm of the bench, his hands held behind his head in a causal manner. Kichirou stood quietly next to the bench, watching for the train. Alice wondered if any of the others hated trains as well.
"Geez what's taking the train long?" Cody demanded with a yawn, clearly impatient. Alice glanced at Cody, she had a small feeling he wouldn't mind riding trains. Her purple eyes fell to the rings on his fingers. For moment she felt it was odd for a boy to be wearing rings.
Then she recalled Loke, the Guild's playboy. She remembered somebody mentioning that he used ring magic, perhaps Cody used ring magic as well?
Alice was snapped out of her thoughts when the train rolled into the station with a loud hiss of steam. Alice felt her skin prickle at the sudden noise. That was one of the reasons she hated trains.
"Let's go aboard!" Cody announced abruptly, once again breaking Alice out of her thoughts. Alice figured she needed to think less.
"Ugh..."
Alice looked at Noell in pure astonishment. The snowette sat with her knees pulled up the her chest, her head buried in her knees. Every now and again she let out another moan.
"It seems you get motion-sickness" Tsuki remarked. Noell replied with a small, barely noticeable nod.
Alice shifted uncomfortably in her seat and looked at the others. Noell and Kichirou both sat next to each other, while Cody sat next to Alice. Marlow sat in between Kichirou and Noell, while Alice still held Tsuki firmly.
"Kill me now..." Noell groaned. Kichirou sympathetically rubbed her back.
"So what's the exact details of this job anyway?" Cody asked, looking at Alice. Alice had nearly forgotten that she had the request, although it probably made the most sense as she was the one who pointed out the job.
Alice took the request paper out of a small pocket in her frock and opened it carefully, making sure not to crinkle the paper.
"Well apparently this person has some important supplies to deliver to another town" Tsuki read out before Alice had a chance to speak. Grateful for this, Alice held the request in front of Tsuki so the canine could see it, as Alice was content to remain quiet.
"Recently the route they take has become slightly more dangerous, as bandits sometimes attack travellers" Tsuki continued. "Normally they would just risk it alone, but this time their supplies are so precious they want us to come and escort them, and fend off any bandits if we see them"
Tsuki looked at the others, her purple eyes falling on Noell for a minute. "We are all capable of combat, correct?"
Kichirou, Noell and Cody all nodded. Alice hesitated for a moment, before giving a small nod herself. To be honest that was lie, Alice couldn't fight herself.
"Wow you're just like Natsu!" Cody remarked, looking at Noell. The group were about half an hour into their journey, and already Alice longed to be out of the train and feel the solid ground under her feet.
"Now you mention it..." Kichirou murmured.
Noell raised her head slightly to look at Cody. "What do you mean?" She asked quietly. Alice wondered as well, as far as she could tell, Natsu and Noell were almost nothing alike.
Cody looked at Noell before glancing at Alice. "Natsu gets like really bad motion sickness" Cody explained. "It happens whenever he gets on a vehicle, or even something moving from what I heard"
"I can pretty much confirm that it's true" Kichirou added.
"That's weird" Alice said quietly, feeling sorry for both Noell and Natsu.
"Anyway!" Cody began abruptly. He grinned his lopsided grin at Alice, making some colour rise in her cheeks. "What kind of magic do you use Alice?" Cody asked. "I'd love to know!"
"Oh umm..." Alice looked away from Cody, her gaze falling down to Tsuki, who looked at Alice expectantly. Looking up, Alice saw both Kichirou and Noell were looking at her curiously, they most likely wanted to know as well.
"Animal magic" Alice mumbled.
Cody's head titled to the side. "What's that?" He pressed.
Alice hugged Tsuki tighter to her. She hated talking about her magic. "Magic with animals" Alice replied quietly.
Seemingly sensing Alice's discomfort, Kichirou looked at Tsuki. "If you don't mind me asking, what magic do you use Tsuki?" He inquired politely.
"Moon magic" Tsuki replied casually. "Mostly it involves moonbeams and water, as the moon controls the tide. It's usable during the day, but far more powerful at night"
Marlow snorted. "I hardly imagine a mutt like you can hold her own in battle"
"And do you even use any magic, cat?" Tsuki snarled.
"Yes actually" Marlos replied loftily. A low growl emanated in Tsuki's throat. Alice sense this, and changed the subject.
"So what magic do you use Cody?" Alice asked the brown-haired boy, bringing herself to look into his green eyes.
Cody held up one fist with a grin. Alice noted that Cody seemed to like to grin a lot. "Ring magic"
Alice was right. She turned to Kichirou, about to inquire about his magic when the train came to a sudden halt.
They had arrived.
The station was small and somewhat cosy. The ground was made from, marble bricks, but the walls were fashioned from strong wood. Alice stepped out of the train, her sandals making a small clop when they touched the floor. Cody, Kichirou and Noell came soon after, Noell seemingly have recovered the moment the train stopped.
"So where do we go now Alice?" Cody asked casually, once again holding his hands behind his head in a casual manner.
"Umm..." Alice took out the request again and looked at it. "Our client is supposed to meet us here actually!"
Hearing this, the group looked round for their client. Eventually they found him, a small man, only a head taller then Alice. His head was completely bald, minus a huge black moustache that curled at the ends. He wore big sunglasses that hid his eyes, and an ordinary brown business suit.
"Aha" He said when the group approached. "Aha"
"What are you Ahaing about?" Marlow demanded irritably.
"Aha" The man said again. "You must be the wizards that accepted my job, Aha?"
Alice nodded slowly. There was something about this man that put her off, something about his aura.
"Aha! You may call me Frisc, Aha" The man said. "Now shall we get going? Aha"
The group all looked at each other in astonishment. This was not what they expected from their client, the "Aha" thing was offsetting.
"This is my caravan, Aha"
The caravan in question was a small caravan, an old-style one with a canvas roofing, hiding the contents inside. It was pulled by a single purple boar (or whatever those things are called)
Alice froze when she got near the Caravan. There was a strange magical energy coming from it, something that felt just so mysterious. It almost seemed familiar.
"Alice? Are you okay?" Tsuki asked, snapping Alice out of her thoughts.
Alice nodded. "Just distracted"
"Aha! Shall we get going?" Frisc suggested, hopping on top of the caravan and taking the reins. With a quick snap, the boar started to walk. The group silently followed looking about themselves for danger.
An hour or so later
"My feet hurt" Cody moaned. Alice made a small groan of her own. While she was used to walking, her feet ached too.
Noell looked at the two children before glancing at their client. "Perhaps we should let them ride inside?" She suggested
"No!" Frisc snapped. "Nobody goes inside, and nobody sees what's inside, Aha"
"Wonder what's so important" Alice grumbled quietly. Tsuki shot Alice with a worried look, it was unlike Alice to seem so foul.
A few more minutes passed in silence, the only sounds to be heard was the caravan and the footsteps of the group. It was very quiet.
"WATCH OUT!" Kichirou shouted out of the blue, leaping toward Alice and pushing her to the group. Alice fell with a startled yelp, and quickly saw why Kichirou had pushed her. There was a small knife embedded deep in the group, inches from where she had been.
Aware that danger was near, the group quickly lowered into battle stances, glancing in all directions around them...
CLIFFHANGER! MWHAHAHA- *Cough hack cough*
I need to stop doing evil laughter...
Anyway two quick things. First: A Tail of Tales will update every one-two weeks, mainly due to school and pure laziness. Sorry about that.
So Second: To make up for this I'm starting a Q&A. Basically you ask a question in your review, and I answer it in the author notes at the start of the next chapter.
A few conditions though. First off, there must be more in your review then just a question. even something as small as "Good/Bad chapter" will do, but no question-only reviews.
The questions are being asked of Alice, and as such she'll answer them herself in the author notes. Of course being the small little mouse she is, I can't guarantee that she'll give you a proper answer.
Finally I wont answer and plot relevant- questions.
Anyways this is just to add a little more interest to the story, and help you, my dearest readers, learn a little more about Alice. Until next time!