XIV.
~The Bitter Truth~
Charmy flew less than a meter behind the swordsman with the empty scabbard as they drifted down a soulless road. It was twilight and the cicadas sang their strange nighttime song. Charmy, exposed and not currently wearing his new coat, would sneeze loudly then shiver.
"It's getting cold we should make camp for the day. For your sake," the stranger said.
"N- no! I can keep going!" Charmy contested
The stranger shrugged and kept walking.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"You did say you could keep going didn't you? Who am I to question your strength?"
Not really expecting the stranger to believe him, Charmy just remained silent for a moment, "Uh, actually I think we should stop my wings are a little tired."
"Changed your mind, eh? Fine with me." The stranger looked around and pointed to what looked like an abandoned shack. "That place looks good from here. Let's check it out."
Charmy nodded and followed the stranger. The shack was tucked some ways into the trees, so the pair went off road in order to get shelter. As the leaves crunched beneath the stranger's feet, a cold drop of water fell directly on Charmy's nose.
Surprised, Charmy shook his head and rubbed his nose. He then looked up at the grey sky and saw lines of white streaming past the trees. Just as the event occurred they took cover under the roof of the shack.
"Lucky we found this shack or we would have been caught in the rain," the stranger reported.
"Yeah," Charmy said drifting into and looking around the shack. He noticed one bed, two dressing tables and a bunch of sharp swords seemingly just thrown in the corner. "How come those are there?" Charmy said pointing at the swords.
The stranger examined the swords and noticed a common trait among each of them: unusually sharp edges.
Ignoring the question the stranger states, "Hm...Those swords are razor sharp."
"So?" Charmy asks questioning the importance of such a rudimentary statement. "Swords are meant to be sharp. Aren't they?"
"Yes, but if those swords are that sharp and with not a spec of rust on them, that could only mean that they were freshly sharpened especially if they're just tossed in the corner like they seem to be. Oh well. If someone does own the shack then they'll be returning soon. Go to sleep while you can. I will stand watch."
Charmy yawned, "What about you? Aren't you sleepy?"
"I haven't slept in years, child. Now go to sleep."
The voice behind the visor was just as mellow and monotone as it was hours ago, so that was proof that Charmy need not argue with.
"Hey, uh, mister." Charmy said buzzing to the bed. "What's your name, anyway?"
"I have none. I never needed one."
"Whaddya mean you don't have one?"
"I mean exactly that. I was never given one."
"Why don't you name yourself?"
"I found the concept of names redundant and their usage infantile and contradictory as many are renamed multiple times through the course of their life."
"...What?" Charmy said scratching his head.
"Names are dumb."
"No they aren't! They're what makes you, you!"
The stranger sighed, "I grow tired of this idle chatting. Sleep."
"But-"
"Sleep, child."
A little bummed, Charmy closed his eyes and finally realized how tired he was. Within five minutes the small bee was sound asleep.
Night turned quickly to day for the trio. Tails was the first to wake as usual so he just laid quietly thinking of what he might do today. Soon, Mavis awoke and immediately flipped out of bed to stretch. He headed over to the fireplace and kneeled down to warm his hands.
"Good morning, young Miles," he said.
"Morning, Mavis."
Tails got up and joined sat next to Mavis by the fire. "Knuckles must've been tired he's usually awake before both of us chopping trees down."
"Definitely. I feel like we should find something to give him. A gift of sorts."
"Okay, but what kind of gift would suit Knuckles?"
"He seems to be lacking a decent blade. I mean we can't exactly afford a fancy blade but we should be able to get something practical."
"Mhm! That's perfect!" Tails said excitedly. "Let's go now!"
Like that, the two up and left in search of a new blade for Knuckles, their pockets lined with more than a few coins. They went to the western part of Knothole where the sun could be seen just touching the rim of the mountain top to the east. Beside it, a measly three clouds hanging lazily in the orange-red sky.
Quite a few people were out and about getting their days started. Tails saw people pouring out the wooden houses of Knothole and soldiers running in line to their positions. Even the common girls were already deep in gossip in the early morning.
The smell of smoldering charcoal and burning pinewood caught attention of the small fox. He was unsure as to where the scent came from exactly but a column of white-gray smoke gave a hint as to the forge's location.
"Over there," Mavis said pointing to the column of smoke.
Tails nodded in agreement and excitedly ran towards it with Mavis walking in stride right behind him.
Tails turned one corner to see, of all things, a thin lion with thick leather apron arguing with a rhinoceros He went back a couple steps to observe the ordeal without being seen. They were beside the forge with the lion grinding metal
"What do you mean you don't have Druum's money?!" the angry rhino screamed.
"I haven't had much business this past week, so I wasn't able to meet the deadline this month." the lion said surprisingly calmly while focusing on the metal he was grinding
"I'm getting real tired of your excuses and frankly, so is the boss. Last time we asked we were nice, but this time won't be so pleasant!" the rhino said grabbing his club from his hip with a wicked smile. "I'm gonna enjoy this."
Tails watched the rhino brandish his weapon and he didn't know how to help. He didn't know if he could help. As the rhino rose the wooden club over his head, the lion braced himself and just looked away. Tails was so engrossed he hadn't even noticed Mavis walk past him before he stopped the attacker in his act.
Mavis caught the rhino's forearm stopping the attack. The rhino was caught off guard and couldn't possibly block the fist Mavis soon drove directly into his jaw making him lose grip on his club. Mavis sent him stumbling into the wall of the building beside the forge. As the sound of wood falling came from below Mavis.
An "aaargh!" was heard from the rhino when he fell to the floor in surprise. Meanwhile Tails found himself genuinely impressed at what Mavis had just done. The lion seemed unable to hold in his laughter at the large rhino being subdued by a mere squirrel.
The rhino held his face as he got up colliding with more hanging objects.
"D-damnit. I'll get you for that one, squirrel!" He said furiously while running away.
Tails approached even more excited than he was before.
"Mavis!" Tails shouted running to his side . "That was incredible. I didn't know you were that strong!"
"You give me too much credit, young Tails. He was horribly off balance," Mavis admonished. "You could have taken him." Tails giggled.
Mavis looked to his feet and saw the oddly shaped club rocking back and forth trying to find a point of balance. Before it could, Mavis picked it up. Expecting it to be heavier, Mavis jerked up quickly and stopped suddenly once he realized how light it truly was.
"Hollow. What a coward."
The lion continued to laugh, "Is it really?" He grabbed Mavis' hand once he was done laughing and shook it vigorously. "Mavis was it? Name's Klio."
Before his hand lost feeling from the violent display of gratitude, Mavis replied, "Yes, yes. Greetings Klio. This is my companion for the day, Tails."
"Ah! Hello youngster. Now what was it that you two gentlemen needed?"
"Oh of course. A blade."
Within spitting distance of the dreary city of Stryle were two of the king's assassins and their "nothing better to do" driven companion.
As opposed to what they were used to in Novella, Stryle had no gate, but instead a gaping wooden opening with view of the ugly, gray, stone constructs that seemed to litter what little of the city there was.
"Oh dear," Jet said speaking probably the third time over the entire trip.
"You spoke all my thoughts with two words there, Jet." Scorp-Ion said.
Shadow squeezed his nostrils closed, "And the stench is abhorrent!"
"It's settled then. Let's find this fortune teller and get the hell out of here."
And find him they did. Not in person, however. All over the city there were flyers. With a drawing of the mystical fortune teller.
"A hedgehog, eh?" Scorp-Ion said examining a picture.
"Yeah and blind by the likes of it." Jet said noting the bandages around his eyes.
"Alright we know what he looks like but I think asking one of these people around town should do some good as well." Shadow directed.
"Alrighty then. I've got this. Oi, broad!" Scorp-Ion shouted at one of the common women in their drab colorless attire.
He got no response from the girl as she just got scared and ran away.
"Smooth." Jet said.
"Well can you do any better?" Scorp-Ion challenged.
Within five minutes Jet had directions to the part of town that the Seer is usually seen in. They headed there, absent of any of Scorp-Ion's lewd comments due to his jealousy.
Shadow noticed Scorp-Ion's distress and decided that it'd be interesting to aggravate his feelings a little, "Jet, very good work by the way."
"Thank you, Sir." Jet said simply. Shadow then looked at the scorpion who simply scoffed and looked away. A devious smirk crossed Shadow's lips until he saw an extensive line of people in front of him.
"This many people in one spot..." Shadow observed, "This could possibly be the place."
Unexpectedly a woman appeared running and sobbing through the two red curtains that the line stemmed from.
Shadow examined the stumpy and circular construct with the faded, red curtains. It was perhaps the only building in the city with a color or shade that wasn't related to the color gray.
"Perhaps we should ask someone what this line is about." Jet suggested.
"You go ahead. I'm going to speak with that woman to see what the problem is." Shadow responded while walking away. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Welp… It's just you and me," Scorp-Ion said putting his arm around Jet's shoulder.
Jet calmly moved the scorpion's arm from his shoulder and said simply, "No," before walking away.
In about a minute Shadow caught up with the distraught woman. He stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. He spun her around calmly and looked in her eyes. She was a bat, quite beautiful actually, she was wrapped in robes and her head was covered.
"Ma'am if I may be so forward… What is the matter?" Shadow inquired.
To be continued…
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