CHAPTER X: Runaway
Heimdallr - Railway Military Police Lieutenant Colonel's Office
Calculated scratching of pen on stationary filled the noiseless room. The chilling breeze from the orbal air conditioner dropped the temperature further. Outside, the winter sun dawned on the horizon.
The sounds of writing stopped as the author palmed her face. Claire Rieveldt misspelled 'Rieveldt'.
Grabbing her mug, the glowering woman took a sip from her caffeinated drink. Sharp, pink eyes scrutinized the paragraphs for any and all spelling or grammar mistakes she may have committed. Perfectionism demanded that she scrap the article altogether.
Sky blue hair swayed in annoyance as Claire shook off her lack of sleep. She had not even the time to fix her ponytail when news of a terrorist attack reached her ears. It was resolved, without incident or casualty, by none other than members of Class VII- much to her relief; although, as usual, she was left to handle the repercussions of the RMP's less than admirable performance during the whole ordeal.
By repercussions, she meant paperwork. Several riges worth of paperwork. She stared at the stack of documents organized neatly on the side of her table. The former Ironblood was still reeling from the fact that she was relegated to office duty as punishment for her crimes over a year ago.
She could empathize with Sara a little bit now.
A rhythmical knocking on her door jostled the overworked military officer back to her senses.
"Come in."
"Special delivery for one 'Icy Maiden'~" a redheaded man sang as he waltzed into the room, his white-gloved hands gesturing into a bow. He grinned as he placed a tray on the only desk in the room… on top of some very important documents.
Claire frowned at the assortment of sweets and pastries arranged cutely in front of her. "This wasn't what I asked for Lechter."
"Oh, I know. Buuut…" Lechter Arundel then held up three fingers. "3… 2… 1…"
Silence.
"Huh. That almost always works for Kloe."
"What do you take me for then? As a soldier, we're trained to keep our hunger in check during times of crisis," Claire said. She fiddled with a blue miniature cupcake in her fingers before taking a bite.
"Hey, nice choice," Lechter said while holding a similar piece of baked delicacy. "Cute, blue and tiny. Not to mention tasty. Reminds me of Millium."
The older sister Ironblood glared, "I know she's technically eighteen now... but don't make it sound so awkward."
She did admit it was tasty though.
"Anyway~ I have the good news and the bad news. Which you want first?" the intelligence officer asked.
Claire sighed. She eyed the monstrous stack of papers again while she spoke, "I suppose some good news would be appreciated."
"Guess what? The Governor approved of our little outing~"
"Huh? He did?"
"Yup. All that's left is the scheduling. Was gonna ask when are you gonna be free from… all this." Lechter gestured to the reports and documents strewn on the desk. "Has to be within the year though. Little Altina still has classes come January."
Claire munched on a black muffin with vanilla cream glazed on top. Her eyes turned glum, "Honestly… I'm not sure. And I really shouldn't… I can't just take a vacation on such short notice."
"Oh c' mon, don't be like that. Think about it. It'll just be you, me, and the two kids. We'll be like one big, happy family!"
"..."
After a few seconds of contemplation, a smile crept up the Icy Maiden's face. "That does sound lovely. I offer no promises, but I shall see what I can do."
"Hey good enough."
With youthful grins, the two siblings chuckled. One chaotic family trip to Mishelam every year never hurt anyone, right?
"And the bad news?"
Lechter's carefree visage faded as he fished out a folder within his coat. His smile turned neutral as he handed it over to the RMP official. "Looks like your little hunch was right. Went through some hoops to get all the info… but it seems like our new ambassador has some dirt in his pockets after all."
The spy looked impassive, yet his eyes turned dangerous.
Claire sifted through the files. Her eyes narrowed to slits as certain terms appeared in the reports.
"Boy, this is gonna be one hell of a story to tell huh?" Lechter quipped. "An archaism the size of an airplane that can fly like a bird? Sounds pretty slick if you ask me."
"It's safe to assume then that Ouroboros is planning something."
"Not entirely though."
"Pardon?"
"Think about it. They weren't actually subtle the last time they came out to play. And there was only one eyewitness account of Enforcer activity in all of Erebonia, minus the ones that were here to begin with, of course."
Lechter cut a cupcake into several slices to emphasize his point. He held up a piece with lots of cream to his lips. "And who would have guessed it was our own prodigal prince~"
"You think Cedric's acting alone?" Claire asked incredulously.
"Well, I'm no Gramps, so I can't tell what in Aidios' name Ouroboros would be up to these days," Lechter grumbled through a chewing mouth as he flicked away the crumbs on his gloves. "All I'm saying is, I think we're being a bit too fixated on painting them as masterminds all the time."
"So you believe there's more to this..." Claire stared at the enigmatic man. She bit into her brownie as realization dawned on her. "Is it because of your 'Perception'?"
"Bingo."
The woman hesitated. Biting her lip, she analyzed the implications Lechter had brought up. She knew about her fellow Ironblood's special "gift", but still, this would put a damper on the situation. The only other person of interest made future investigations dangerous given Erebonia's political climate.
"... I shall keep that in mind moving forward. Thank you, Lechter."
"Gonna interrogate our guy then?" Lechter said with an amused quirk of eyebrows.
"I will, however…" Pink eyes reviewed the carefully extracted documents in the folder. Claire tapped her finger impatiently on the desk.
"Ah, right. The Holidays."
"The ambassador will be back before the winter festivities... and I assure you, he will NOT be having a merry holiday," the Icy Maiden said.
"Mind if I join in?" the Scarecrow negotiated with a tactless grin.
"You may."
Claire chomped into her piece of cheesecake, its sweetness revitalizing her sleepless mind. Her cold eyes narrowed as her thoughts whirled.
Now… what are Calvardian Jaegers doing in Erebonia?
"I'm sorry we couldn't find your notebook Fie."
"It's okay. Not your fault," Fie said to her downcast friend. Alisa continued to look downwards as she twiddled with her newly cut hair.
She would've teased her classmate for it, but the listless bracer couldn't find the motivation to speak. The two of them, plus Sharon and volunteers from the RMP, spent the entire night and morning searching for the lost bracer handbook. Unfortunately, with all the wreckage caused by their fight, it was a pointless endeavor. It also could have been blown away to Aidios knows where in the mountains. Alisa had convinced her it would be too dangerous to attempt a search on the steep cliffs.
Fie doubled her scarf over her neck. The cold bit on her skin as her coat was seared beyond repair.
Not your fault. It's mine.
It was mid-afternoon in Roer Airport now. The bustle of the crowds filled their silence as nobles and commoners alike clamored to board the airship to Bareahard. The bracer could catch the last train to Legram if she hurried too.
She glanced back to the sulking chairwoman and her maid. She gave them an apologetic smile as she tried to think of something else to talk about. Her gaze fell to the leather-bound compound book in her hand. "You sure I can have this? Isn't it sentimental for you?"
Alisa regarded the book with a fond expression. A bit of life returned to her ruby eyes as she spoke, "Yeah, keep it… It might give you some luck."
Fie opened the pages to an image of a blonde haired magical girl. Her wide smile and exuberant personality shone through like the sun. She read, in monotone, the caption at the bottom:
"I am Magical Girl Arisa! Helmdrr's Greatest Heroine! Let me show you my Powers of Love and Fortune~ "
"Awawawa- No need to say it out loud!" a teary-eyed Alisa shouted. She covered her red cheeks as repressed memories of pure shame came flooding back to her.
A silvery giggle came from the younger woman, "Hehe… Thanks, Alisa. I'll be sure to read it."
A pair of hands clasped together on Fie's. Alisa squeezed lightly as she spoke, a compassionate glare on her face. "And that's not all. If there's anything I can do, just ask. We'll always be there for you."
Fie strained herself to look at her friend in the eyes. She couldn't hold it for long, as she averted her gaze a moment after. "…"
"Don't beat yourself up over it, okay? You don't owe us anything. We genuinely want to help you, if you ever need it."
"...Alright."
"This is the final boarding call for passengers of the Lusitania to Bareahard. Please proceed to gate 3 immediately. I repeat…"
"Sorry I couldn't stay for longer," Fie said when the announcement finished.
"Don't mind that. This is more important for you, right?"
"Yeah…"
"Say hi to Laura for me." Alisa grinned as she handed her friend her satchel. Sharon gave the woman the case of her weapons too, along with a small box wrapped in fine cloth.
"Will do." Fie accepted the items with another smile. "Thanks for the lunch, Sharon. Take care of Alisa, okay?"
"I most definitely will. Have a safe journey, Lady Fie," the maid responded with an equally pleasant bow.
"I'm not some spoiled child you know!" Alisa huffed. She relaxed a second later and waved, "Bye Fie."
Fie nodded before she walked up to the entrance of the airliner. The ramp had started to disengage when an idea popped into her head.
Setting down her belongings for a little while, the small girl turned to her friends. Fie closed her eyes and exhaled.
Her hand shot up above her head. With a flourish, she rotated in place, her arms rolling around in a cutesy spin as her hair and scarf trailed from behind. Striking a pose with her fingers extended in a sideways V-shape in front of her eyes, she exclaimed:
"Pretty Soldier of Love and Fortune, Magical Girl Fie bids thee farewell!"
...
Alisa's red eyes blinked as a cheeky smile danced on her lips. She let loose a radiant laugh.
"See ya later, Alisa."
With a glow brimming with her usual energy, Alisa waved.
"Bye!"
A rumbling vibration woke Fie up from her nap. Looking out the airship window revealed a white sea of clouds painted over a deep orange sky.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she fished out her ARCUS and saw that she had received a new orbal electronic mail.
Re: FIE CLAUSSELL
From: SHARON KREUGER
Subject: (none)
(blank)
Attached was a single image.
Nostalgia washed over her as the dark brick walls of her old Thors dormitory appeared on the screen. In the middle of the room stood her blonde friend in front of a mirror. She held what appears to be Emma's orbal staff in her grip. Through the reflection, Fie could see a hand forming the iconic V-shape gesture as the girl imitated her favorite heroine. A beaming smile illuminated Alisa's face.
Fie chuckled heartily as she saved the candid photo. Devious, but hilarious; Sharon did have her own way of cheering people up. She sent a reply to the mischievous woman.
"Thanks, Sharon."
Not a minute after sending her thanks, Fie received another email from the dutiful maid. It had an image attachment as well.
Re: FIE CLAUSSELL
From: SHARON KREUGER
Subject: (none)
:)
The picture revealed a different girl striking the quintessential 'magical girl' pose. In the backdrop was a dark blue airship stationed in a busy airport.
What was peculiar about the snapshot was that the woman thoroughly embarrassing herself in public seemed awfully familiar to Fie. She wore a white top with a beige-colored vest and skirt combo. The blue-green scarf draped over the girl's neck tastefully complemented her attire. Wild, flowing silver hair swayed with the wind as sharp, lime-green eyes peeked through her fingers.
Fie closed her ARCUS.
Let it be known that Bracers are paragons of virtue. They are the epitome of patience and are renowned for their almost limitless mental fortitude. Thus, the urban legend 'The Moaning of the Lusitania' -definitely- did not originate from the mortified wailing of a silver-haired bracer.
"I'm afraid there's not much I can do, Fie," a youthful male voice said.
"..." Fie looked away.
The bespectacled receptionist regarded his colleague with a gentle smile. "As you know, a Bracer notebook serves as the official way to record details about your jobs. Both current and finished. More than that, it…"
Fie glared at the man. Miles adjusted his glasses as he continued; his eyes shut as he avoided the woman's stern gaze. "More than that, it serves as secondary documentation of your accomplishments. Without your notebook for cross-checking, the guild won't officially recognize your achievements."
Her tongue clicked as she clenched her fists, the words stabbing through her heart. A simple mistake, that was all it was. Careless, even. Maybe more so recently.
"I'm sorry, Fie... I knew how close you were."
"It's alright." She sighed. Fie spoke carefully as the disappointment trickled into her words. "Maybe I'll get A-rank next year."
She frowned. The promotion process for A-rank in the Bracer Guild was a lot stricter than lower tiers. For starters, the bracer must submit all current and previous bracer notebooks in his or her possession. It meant that, without constantly documenting an accurate report in her journal, Fie would never get past B-rank. Sara had drilled that into her head.
The second ruling was that the guild would only check an A-rank applicant's progress biannually. This was set as a deterrent in order to weed out those lazy few that frequently shirk on their duties. The more achievements an applicant rakes in during those six months, the better their chances for promotion.
Her biannual report was scheduled for the end of the year.
Not to mention, losing an essential log of information such as her notebook would have reflected wonderfully on her résumé.
Miles handed a nondescript notepad to her, the gentle smile never once left his face. "For now, you can log your activities in that while you wait for a replacement."
Fie stared at the small item, her mind laughing at the incredulity of it all. "How long…?"
"Two to three days. I'll call the Leman Branch now to have them sort it out right away."
"Thanks, Miles."
"What will you be doing now then?" the receptionist asked. "There are some requests on the board if you're up for it."
"Maybe tomorrow," the bracer said.
Fie glanced around at the empty guild hall. It was still as barren as when Bracers were still ostracised from the Empire. A tacky sofa and a few footstools were the only means of comfort in the wide room. Droplets of water leaked through the wood as the old and dilapidated guild house withstood the humid Legram climate. The various requests crowding the bulletin board was a pleasant sight, however.
Her lips curved ever so slightly.
Miles relaxed as he grinned back at the girl. "If you're staying, then maybe you could help me out on a little something."
"Hm?"
"To be perfectly honest, you suddenly arriving here brings great joy to my heart. I was afraid I was going to have to handle this super secret, super important and super special request by myself. It came straight from the Viscountess!" Miles exclaimed. His hand curled to his chest in relief.
Lime-green eyes narrowed. "Can't you make it any LESS obvious you're just manipulating me?" an affronted Fie panned. Toval had warned her about Miles' tendency to dump work on desperate junior bracers. To be fair, they probably should have known better than to trust the shifty-eyed man.
"Sorry, sorry~ I didn't mean it that way." the receptionist defused. "I wasn't lying about the request though. Interested?"
Fie eased up as well. It did pique her curiosity somewhat, plus, she'd need the work. She pocketed the pathetically small notepad as she shrugged. "...Fine. Don't have anything to lose anyway. What you got?"
"Great! As I said, this was a request from her lordship herself. You're gonna have to ask her for all the details."
"Laura did?"
"Yup. The long and short of it is that she's hiring an escort to help bodyguard… a certain person of interest." Miles held out a pamphlet for the younger woman. "I'm sure you're aware of Legram's winterly festival, right?"
"Sorta. Something to do with old celebrations of Animism… or something." Sorry, Emma. Didn't mean to sleep through your expositions, Fie thought to herself. Thank goodness Celine wasn't around to nag at her.
"That's close enough," Miles said. "This client will be staying in Legram for the duration of the festivities, which, coincidentally, ends in two days."
"Seems important. Got any idea as to who?" Fie asked.
A snicker burst on the dark-haired man's face. Miles shook his head as he smirked at the girl. "She'll be coming here tomorrow. You'll just have to find out then~"
"Welp, that's certainly ominous."
Fie let out a resigned sigh. She was going to stay in Legram regardless, so the excitement was very much welcome. She'd even get to participate in the festival if time permitted it. "Whatever... I'll take it." In for a mira, as they say.
"Excellent! I'll inform the Viscountess right away."
"No need. I'll tell her myself."
"Oh? You're gonna visit her now?" Miles asked.
"Not… necessarily. Got something to do first." Fie had averted her eyes before she turned on her heel.
"Alright. I'll tell her to expect you then."
"Thanks," the ex-jaeger said as she stalked through the door. The dark, misty streets of Legram edged into her view as her sights set upon her destination.
Botching her promotion might have sucked, but there was one good thing about her untimely visit to the lakeside town.
"Hey, Weiber."
The young owner of the Aprikoze Inn looked up from his desk. With a wide grin, the man waved at the silver-haired bracer entering his establishment. "Hey there Fie! Long time no see."
"Been too long," Fie replied as she sat down on the table in the far corner. The stoic girl liked to dine in solace, even if the Inn appeared empty save for a few drunkards guffawing at the bar. They were having a drinking competition if she were to guess.
Wieber came up to her table. He handed her a glass of her preferred lemon juice along with the dinner menu for the day.
Fie skimmed through the menu out of respect before she regarded the man with a suggestive glance. "Is it available…?"
"The usual?" Weiber laughed heartily. "As it so happens, we have just enough for one more serving."
Yes! an inner-Fie fist-pumped. "I'll have it. Plus one house special please."
"Coming right up."
The sophisticated woman glided her finger on the rim of her drink. The ice cold glass sent shivers up her spine as she played the waiting game.
If she were to give a reason on why she chose Legram as her main guild branch, it would have been this. Sure, being best friends with the governing lord of the land had its perks, but that was second fiddle compared to the fact that the medieval-esque town had amazing cuisine.
Alisa had certainly been generous with her cash reward too. Fie closed her eyes in gratitude. She was gonna eat like a queen.
A luxurious plate of seasonal vegetables topped with fragrant herbs and cheese was served first. The sheen on the fresh and crisp roast asparagus glistened in her eyes. The tangy scent of the mozzarella mingled with the spices and created a delicate haze that entranced the girl.
Fie could feel her mouth water as the savory aroma of grilled fish tantalized her nose. She took a sip from her lemon juice and waited. It took all her willpower to prevent her stomach from grumbling in exhilaration. She stared at the far wall lest her reputation of being a cool and mature woman imploded on itself.
After about a minute of anxious ignorance, the radiant glow of Golden Salmon, fresh from Lake Ebel, descended from the culinary heavens. The lightly charred skin on the silver platter shone as bright as Goldia itself, illuminating the room. Fie cut her fork into the pink flesh. It tore apart like cream while buttery juices seeped through the succulent meat. The dish exuded a luscious fragrance that overwhelmed all self-control. She gulped.
If Fie was a cat, her ears would be perked.
Sadly she wasn't, so the woman opted to dig in instead. After a brief thank you to the Goddess above, she teased herself with her first forkful, its exquisite aroma caressing her nostrils. She closed her eyes as she took a bite.
The world burst into color.
A moan escaped Fie's lips as the salty taste of perfectly roasted salmon frolicked with her tongue. The tender meat melted in her mouth as it dissolved into fish-flavored ambrosia. She swallowed. Tinges of grilled herbs lingered on her tastebuds in protest. A single tear beaded in the corner of her eye.
Promotion? A-Rank? Six whole months worth back-breaking labor gone with the wind? Who gives a damn. All of her material worries faded into oblivion. The pleasure of the long-sought sensation of her favorite dish rejuvenated her worn soul. This was heaven. Fie sobbed silently as she relished in her feast.
A hooded figure at the bar stood up from their seat. The person glanced at their drinking compatriots who have long since fallen in the battle with grog. Their darkened eyes then set upon a mess of silver hair eating alone in the corner of the diner. The figure dusted off their oversized coat and fixed the sleeves of their thick robes.
Truthfully, the person had their sights on the bracer ever since she walked into the inn. They had let her enjoy her dinner for a few minutes before approaching. With a flirty grin, they placed two mugs of brandy on the table as they took the seat beside the woman.
"It's on me," they said with a gravelly voice.
Now, the enigmatic individual never meant anything at all with the flirty grin, but the look of disgust and indignation on the girl's face shattered their heart.
Piercing lime-green eyes glared at the person intruding her personal space of about five arge.
"Do I know you?" Fie asked in a freezing cold tone worthy of her status as an ex-jaeger.
Funnily enough, however, the question was an incredibly apt one as the person found themself chuckling in a pitch closer to their actual voice.
"You probably should~" they muttered as they took a sip of the beverage. "Cheers~"
Fie's eyes narrowed even more. She accepted the free drink though. Raising the mug of brandy up to her lips, she took a sip. "Cheers."
She spat out the offensive liquid from her mouth. Fie spluttered uncontrollably as the remnants of the alcohol scorched her throat like a stream of grape-flavored magma. The stoic woman failed to hide her pained grimace.
"Too strong?" the hooded figure teased.
"Okay… I think I know who you are now," Fie gasped out in between swigs of her juice. She had emptied her glass when she gawked at the nonchalant person sat beside her. Her doubts were dispelled as she saw teal blue eyes fringed with silver gray hair similar to her own.
"What are you DOING here, Schera!?"
Scherazard Harvey placed a finger over her glossy lips as she whispered. "Shhh... Not here, darling. We'll talk after you eat."
The younger woman turned back to her meal as she felt the swell of an oncoming headache. At least she knew who this 'super important person' was now. The crown princess-slash-bracer heaved loudly after she downed the two mugs of foul booze.
Fie guessed right. The next few days did promise excitement, whether she would have liked it to or not.
Welp. That happened. Wanna guess who will make a guest appearance next?
This took a little longer than usual. I took the time to upload previous chapters on AO3.
Reviews, Favourites, and Follows are much appreciated.
See ya.
EDIT: Fixed the pronouns. I seriously, honestly did not know that. I apologize.