TWO OF A KIND

by Ulquiorra9000

Chapter 21

Without a doubt, the stain-glassed windows in the abandoned Orzhov church would have glowed in a brilliant array of colors in the evening sun if they weren't so dirty. Grime and dust coated them and dulled their colors to a mockery of their former beauty, and the chipped pews, cracked floor, and cobwebbed ceiling of the little church added to the place's sense of desolation. That is, if one thought about it that way.

"This is home," Charka told Morrel and Mizuki happily as he led them and the others through the double doors at the front. Raising his voice, he called out, "Hey! We're back! And we've got guests so behave yourselves!"

From the pews and side-chambers of the church emerged at least a dozen new kids, the oldest of which was about Charka's age and the youngest, barely a toddler. The toddler was carried by a dark-haired girl in a simple brown dress, and the youngster looked delighted at the company.

"Guys, let's show full hospitality to our guests," Charka told the other kids once Ghali closed the doors behind him. "They're not too street-savvy so we can give them a little shelter. No offense, right?" he double-checked with Morrel.

"None taken," the Bant battlemage shook his head.

"Are they bad like the other adults, boss?" a boy around six asked Charka.

"Of course not!" Charka snapped. "They're only a few years older than me and we will welcome them as brother and sister." He glanced at Toya. "How about you warm up a bath for them?"

Toya nodded politely, then pranced through the church's main chamber and vanished around a corner to a smaller room. Charka, meanwhile, arranged everyone in a circle, seated on the floor for a group talk. Morrel slowly lowered himself to the floor and sat, unsure what was expected of him. Mizuki sat next to him, a rather grouchy expression on her face.

"Well then," Charka spoke up. "Everyone, this is Morrel, the guy with glasses, and Mizuki, the girl. They're both travelers, and I must say, not half-bad at fighting."

"Yeah. They're so good, they needed our help against Golgari thugs," Ghali remarked sarcastically, and Morrel glanced at the brash youth. Why does he dislike us so much? He wondered.

"Knock it off. Anyone can fall prey to a darkblast spell," Charka bit back. "Sorry, Morrel, Mizuki. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

"You did explain earlier that this is a makeshift orphanage," Morrel said slowly, "but I get the feeling that it's more than that."

Charka glanced nervously around. "Well... this church is an orphanage and a refuge. Many of us are escaping the law," he admitted. "Some of us ran away from abusive parents, some lost their parents, and others escaped bondage to cruel guild masters. Like Ghali. He was a subject for the Simic Combine, but he broke free and we took him in."

"I was lured to the Simic by liars," Ghali growled, "and I threw away good life because I trusted strangers! And they made me into their plaything."

"What happened to you?" Morrel inquired.

"Not like it matters to you," Ghali retorted, making Morrel blanch.

"Many of us have had bad experience with guild agents," Charka interjected calmly, "and for that reason, we've taken notice of the guild deadlock centered in the Dalmar District. They're all being lured by some weird object."

Mizuki barely held back a hasty comment, and Morrel had to restrain his tone as he asked with forced calm, "What kind of object is it? Do you know?"

"No." Charka shook his head. "But word on the street is that it's not even from this world! Weird, huh? But I've got a plan."

"Are you going to try and take it once a guild claims it?" Mizuki asked.

"Close," Charka smiled. "We're going to wait until the guilds break their deadlock and start fighting, then slip in and take the object ourselves."

"And we've got a method, too," another kid added. "The Izzet League has come out with a new line of gravtronic craft that can move at high speeds and have durable hulls. If we can get one, we can fly through the turmoil and take the object. It's risky, but worth it. It's time we strike back against the guilds!"

The other kids voiced their agreement and Morrel gawked. These kids are reckless! Fly a craft into a battle to take the Sphere of Ages shard... they have no idea what they're dealing with, and neither do these guilds here. I wonder if the Sphere shards emanate a possessive aura that lure people towards them? Trying to hide all these thoughts from his tone, Morrel added, "I bet you have a plan to get such a craft? It sounds expensive."

"Our chance is close," Charka explained. "You see, tomorrow is the Festival of the Guildpact, and the day after that will be the annual Colosseum Championship, a tournament for fighters. The prize money will more than cover the gravtronic craft's cost!"

These kids, risk their lives like that? Morrel thought, aghast. "Hey, listen. I can handle that for you, to repay you saving my life in that alley and for taking me in here. I can take a challenge any day."

"You sure?" Charka asked tightly. "You seem to want that weird object a lot too..."

"I think that the object should be hidden away or destroyed, the better to remove temptation on everyone's part," Morrel invented hastily. "You know, to encourage everyone to make their fortune with their own power."

Mizuki made a that-was-so-corny expression, but a murmur among the children caused Charka to stand up. "Morrel, I accept your offer, and I am humbled by your courage and selflessness. Ravnica would be a better place if there were more folks like you."

"Yeah, and this sounds fun. I'll enter too, to increase our chances," Mizuki added, standing up as well. "Don't count me out."

"Welcome aboard, then," Charka bowed his head. "By the way, the bath should be ready now. Do you want to go first?"

Mizuki sidled up to Morrel. "Wouldn't you rather go first? I bet you've been spoiled by daily baths back home."

I wasn't spoiled back home on Bant! Morrel grumbled, but he smiled anyway. "No, you can go first. To be honest, your hair really needs a washing. It's dirtier and more tangled than ever."

Running her hands through her dark locks with difficulty, Mizuki had to agree. "I guess. See you later, then."

*o*o*o*o*

Morrel didn't inquire too much about the Festival and tournament, the better to not reveal himself as an extra-Planar visitor ignorant of Ravnica's ways. Rather, while Mizuki bathed Morrel got to know the other kids and tried to think of how and when Rohkan and Maretta would interfere with his plans and try to steal the Sphere shard. There was no guarantee that both or even either of them were on this Plane right now, but Morrel had to assume the worst. He sat alone on a pew to think all this over, but such heavy thoughts were chased off as Mizuki came back from her bath.

"Guess what?" she greeted Morrel happily, wandering over to him and sitting on the chipped pew next to him. "The bath is heated by an eternal flame! The kids stole it from a guild thug a while back. And the soap is made from ogre fat but smells really nice and works wonders. Just look." She smiled as she tilted her head slightly, lightly running her fingers through her hair. Curious, Morrel reached over and slid his fingers through her hair too, amazed by how soft and smooth it suddenly was.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so clean," he commented, hoping not to sound rude. He inhaled and tried not to blush. "Not to be forward, but you smell kind of pretty, too."

Mizuki tried not to blush and squirmed in her seat. "Do you mean that? You think I'm pretty?"

"Well, now that you've bathed and all..." Morrel swallowed, suddenly at a loss for words as his face warmed. "I mean, uh..."

"Come on, can't you tell me what you think of me?" Mizuki urged him, flexing her toes.

Morrel frowned slightly. "I've always been under the impression that you don't really care what I think about anything."

"Oh, come on, that's not true," Mizuki said gently, leaning against Morrel and sharing her sweet scent with him. "I can listen. What are you thinking?"

His heart hammering, Morrel stuttered, "W-well, I do like seeing your gentler side, when you're not angry or stealing or anything. It's nice seeing you like this."

"Do go on."

"It's like... it's like everything's normal, without your curse or Sphere shards or hostile Planeswalkers to think about. Just you and me," Morrel realized out loud. "Sometimes I wish we had more time like this. You know?"

Mizuki rested her head on Morrel's shoulder. "Mmmmmmm... you make a good point. There's always that Festival of the Guildpact thingy coming up. Maybe that can be our normal time together!"

"Are you sure?" Morrel asked. "We still have to find Zoira and get ready for that championship and everything..."

"Hush. You worry too much," Mizuki yawned. "We'll cram that business into our day of fun. And that's that."

Morrel decided to humor Mizuki... and he did relish the thought of spending free time with her. "Yeah, okay. I promise, we'll have fun."

"That's more like it," Mizuki mumbled. "I'm kind of tired. Can I sleep next to you?"

"Sorry, but I'm not a pillow," Morrel joked. I'm a little too shy for that yet! Even though I'm kind of tired, too. He got up and backed up a little. "But you can have that pew to yourself."

"Mmmmmmm..." was Mizuki's response as she lay herself down across the pew, and she did not say another word for the night.

*o*o*o*o*

Morrel was prepared for endless crowds, loud music, and wild dancing for the festival, but not for the veritable explosion of excitement and activity that awaited him.

"Is it always like this?" he roared over the crowd's cheering and singing, slowly working his way through the ocean of people in a wide street.

"No, it's often even wilder than this!" Charka bellowed back. "This is the busiest part of the Festival. If you want, we can move to a quieter spot!"

"Let's do that!" Morrel shouted, and he, Mizuki, Charka, and Toya pushed their way past dancers, mosh pits, entertainers, and everyone else to reach one of the side streets. Morrel breathed a sigh of relief as the crowds thinned out somewhat and the music no longer rattled his eardrums as much. Here, confetti and fireworks were hurled from balconies of the buildings and a parade of festive entertainers riding large beasts plodded down the street's middle. He couldn't help a quick smile; the fun was contagious!

"I might start to enjoy this," Mizuki added with a sly smile of her own. "I usually don't do crowds, but..."

"But we have to sign up for that Championship and find Zoira!" Morrel reminded her. This is actually rather stressful...

Mizuki pouted. "Fine, ruin everything. I thought we were going to have a good time, Morrel!"

Morrel winced. "Well, um... okay, tell you what. I'll look for Zoira and you can go find a few fun things for us to do. How's that?"

Aware that Charka and Toya were nearby, Mizuki looked around and muttered in Morrel's ear, "Okay, but first, I want to look my best. I'll be back soon."

"What, is Toya going to lend you some clothes?" Morrel muttered back in Mizuki's ear.

The Kamigawa Planeswalker smiled and waved a finger. "Patience! I'll show you what I mean. I'll just find a secluded spot and go on a quick trip. Don't get into any trouble in the meantime!"

"That's what I should be telling you," Morrel groaned, but all the same, Mizuki wandered off, no doubt planning to Planeswalk somewhere.

As soon as Mizuki vanished, Charka wandered off and Toya joined Morrel, sticking close as the both of them explored the Festival. "She's really nice, isn't she?"

Morrel jumped. "Who, Mizuki? Yeah, she's really something..."

"Is she your sister?"

"What? No! We look nothing alike..."

"I was only kidding." Toya wrapped her arm around Morrel's as they passed a cluster of jugglers. "But really, I can't help but wonder where you and she come from, and what brought you both together."

How much can I afford to tell her? I'll just be generic. "Well... Mizuki and I are travelers who met and saved each other during a brawl, and we decided to watch each other's backs ever since. She's an orphan, you see, so I thought I'd be there for her."

"Oh, that's so nice of you!" Toya glowed. "Is there anywhere you're going with her?"

"No, the road decides where we go," Morrel offered, which was partly the truth: he had no idea where he'd go next on the hunt for Sphere of Ages shards. "Though that does make it more fun."

"I wish I could freely roam the world, but it's too dangerous," Toya lamented. "Ravnica is no place for lost children."

"And thus, the orphanage church," Morrel supported her. "You kids are doing the right thing, making that shelter. I'm humbled by your commitment and endurance against a tough world like this one."

Toya started to blush. "Th-thanks. But, um..."

"Yes?" An elephant draped in colorful bead strings and fabrics wandered by, gushing wine from its trunk.

"Do you love Mizuki?"

Morrel tried not to curse as he tripped in shock at Toya's question and sprawled across the stone street, alarming a few nearby party-goers. He quickly apologized to them as he staggered to his feet and slipped his glasses back into place. "I, um... that's a pretty personal question..."

"I'm sorry." Toya looked down. "It's just that so many people die without ever realizing their hopes or ambitions, and not enough good things seem to happen around here."

"Hey. Happiness is wherever you choose to find it," Morrel offered brightly, resuming his walking. "Be it a bright sunrise, a kind shopkeeper's discount, finding a family of birds on your roof... anything at all can have a scrap of happiness." Another Rhox philosophy that Yerkel taught me. I never thought that stuff would be so handy!

Toya brightened. "I guess you're right." She smiled mischievously. "But that does leave my question..."

"We're just friends!" Morrel told her quickly.

"Sure you are," Toya giggled.

"Morrel! There you are!" a familiar voice called out, and Morrel's stomach jumped as an elf lady with survival gear on her belt waded through the crowds, her expression radiant. "And you have a new girlfriend, I see. What's her name?"

What's with everybody today? Morrel grouched. "N-no, Zoira, this is a local. Toya, this is Zoira, a friend of mine. I had hoped to meet her at the Festival today, and here she is!"

"A pleasure," Zoira smiled at Toya, then turned to Morrel, fiddling with one of her braided ponytails. "But where is Mizuki? Did she get lost?"

"No, she'll be back soon," Morrel answered with a wink. Catching on, Zoira nodded and said, "I see. Toya, dear, Morrel and I need a little time alone, okay?"

"Okay. Catch you later, Morrel!" Toya waved as she wandered off into the crowd.

Morrel and Zoira wandered over to an empty alley and, once they were sure there were eavesdroppers around, Morrel spoke up. "We've got a solid lead, Zoira. There's a battle tournament taking place in a nearby Colosseum with a huge cash reward for the winner. Mizuki and I will enter on behalf of a group of kids we met and use the prize money to buy some flying vehicle the kids mentioned, then fly into the Dalmar District with it and steal the Sphere shard from the warring guilds. If we're not affiliated with a guild, the guild forces probably won't pay any attention to us until it's too late." He took a deep breath after his quick recital of the plan.

Zoira smiled again and clapped her hands together. "Wonderful! I found a few secret passageways into the District myself, but I like the sound of flying. Though we can count on attracting a certain kind of attention while we do that."

Morrel nodded. "Rohkan and Maretta. Have you been able to track them?"

The Zendikar elf shook her head. "I can confirm that Rohkan is here, but I only saw him a few days ago and not since. Maretta is a total mystery, so we had better keep our guard up."

"Mizuki and I will do all we can," Morrel promised. "We'll sign up for that tournament and get the job done."

"I like the sound of that," Zoira agreed. She looked around. "Hmmmmm. Mizuki had better come back soon. We need her."

"Well, her Planeswalker Spark is somewhat corrupted by her Kami curse," Morrel explained as he and Zoira re-entered the main street and all its festivities. "She can barely control her Planeswalking. It's erratic and clumsy, as far as I'm told, but it works."

"But you never see the Blind Eternities while she takes you from Plane to Plane?"

Morrel shook his head. "No, I fall unconscious during the process. I'm lucky that Mizuki can do this at all. According to her, she's probably the only Planeswalker who can carry a passenger with her. Turns out her Kami curse is good for something after all! Though if she didn't have it, we probably wouldn't have ever met in the first place..."

Zoira laughed lightly, giving Morrel a light punch on the shoulder. "You think too much, kid! Relax."

"I... guess," Morrel replied sheepishly.

"Hey! Morrel! Zoira!" came a familiar voice ten minutes later. Morrel saw Mizuki wade through the crowd to join him, but something was different: instead of her usual rolled-up pants and sleeveless shirt, she was clad in a vivid green robe with voluminous sleeves and a pink belt. Mizuki led Morrel and Zoira over to a less-crowded patch of the street and she stood proudly. "I'm back. What do you think, huh?"

"I have to... do things elsewhere," Zoira smiled mysteriously, vanishing into the crowds at once. Meanwhile, Morrel couldn't help but gawk in amazement: Mizuki's robes appeared to be made of a fine fabric that had no creases or frayed ends on its threads, and it had a smooth, shiny appearance that suggested a high-quality material. Not only that, but patterns of colorful fish leaping out of water adorned the robe from top to bottom, and the tall, pink fabric belt circled around the waist rather than the hips. On top of that, Mizuki had bound her hair into a simple but elegant bun. Her expression was radiant as she waited for Morrel's answer.

"Wow... you look beautiful!" Morrel blurted, then flinched and went red.

Mizuki hid a giggle behind her hand. "Well, there's some good old honesty! Thank you, Morrel."

"Where did you get that robe? I don't recognize its design at all..." Morrel wondered. Even the ladies of the Akrasa court back home on Bant didn't have dresses like this.

Turning around in a full circle to show off the whole robe, Mizuki explained, "This is a kimono, a dress robe from my home Plane, Kamigawa. The material is silk, the best and fanciest kind a piece of clothing can be made with. In case you don't know, silk is spun by certain worms and spiders. Sounds gross, I know, but look at the end result!"

"It's like nothing I've ever seen," Morrel smiled. "And you're wearing footwear too?" He noticed that Mizuki wore white socks and thick-soled sandals rather than going barefoot.

"Oh, I thought I'd go all out," Mizuki commented. "You know? I like trying new things, after all, and I've always seen fancy ladies of Kamigawa wear kimonos but I was too poor for one as a child. So here I am!"

Wait a minute... Morrel realized. "Mizuki, how could you afford this kimono? We don't have much money. Unless you rented it?"

"I didn't have to rent it," Mizuki defended herself. "Don't worry about it."

"Hey... don't tell me you stole it?" Morrel accused her.

Mizuki shrugged. "What? The clothing store's back door was unlocked. I just snuck into the store room and found this. Green is my favorite color, too."

"I thought you were past this!" Morrel raised his voice a little. "Mizuki, we're not criminals! Didn't you tell me that you'd stop stealing? I can't believe this!"

"Hey! Don't scold me!" Mizuki bristled. "I made no such promise, and besides, I will make sure to return this robe once the festival is over, so no harm done." She looked down. "Don't yell at me. I just wanted to impress you. I wanted a chance to look pretty for once!"

Taking a deep breath, Morrel calmed himself down and kicked himself on the inside. I don't have to be so hard on her! I guess I overreacted. "Sorry, Mizuki. I suppose I'm still stuck in my honorable ways, huh?" he said gently.

"Kind of," Mizuki said warily.

Morrel positioned himself by Mizuki and took her hand. "I'm sorry if I ruined the moment for you." He brightened. "And yeah, that's a good start, promising to return the robe. Don't worry, I think this kimono looks really good on you! I'm flattered that you wanted to impress me."

"I couldn't resist," Mizuki smiled back as the two of them set off into the festival again to find something fun to do. "I feel like a noble lady in this thing! But you're still a lowly peasant, little Battlemage!"

"That's not true. Being a battlemage is prestigious. I have a Sigil to boot," Morrel said lightly. "Oh, and I've got to know... how come you're always teasing me? I don't get it."

"You're so thick." Mizuki's tone was playful. "I've mentioned this before: I'm curious about you. You're totally different than me, and it's, well, exciting to travel everywhere with you and it's fun to see how you react to me. You're like my big lovable toy!"

Morrel couldn't help a laugh. "So I'm your favorite stuffed animal now? I'm honored. Well, what's your verdict, then? How fun am I to have around?"

Mizuki squeezed Morrel's hand as she tried not to blush. "Very fun. Even if you're strict and stubborn, you're reliable and strong, and honestly, very sweet at times."

With his heart suddenly hammering, Morrel furiously debated with himself whether or not to keep up Mizuki's topic. He fought for words for a second, then decided to go all in. "Well, that's very kind of you! But you know, I was kind of thinking the same thing about you. With or without that kimono robe, you're quite the charming lass."

"Oh, don't," Mizuki stifled another giggle.

"Hey, I mean it," Morrel insisted warmly. "Even if you're wild and headstrong, I believe you have a gentle side that's very much worth pursuing. You've been playing hard to get, but believe me..." he leaned closer to her ear. "I'll do what I must to catch you!"

"You're funny," Mizuki blushed harder, half-heartedly trying to push her friend away.

Morrel whispered into her ear, "Oh, it's no joke. Do you want to see how serious I am about it?"

"Uh, what?"

Stopping in place, Morrel still held Mizuki's hand while he gently lifted her chin with his other hand's fingers, looking into her rich brown eyes. He started to bring his lips toward hers, and he could tell that Mizuki was not afraid, but welcoming. She lowered her eyelids and parted her lips, but Morrel suddenly drew back, clearing his throat. "I-I, uh, don't want to be forward and take advantage of you in the heat of the moment. I shouldn't have..." I'm not sure if either of us is ready for this. Best to take it slow for now.

"Well, if you say so," Mizuki figured, folding her arms in her usual pout. Then she brightened. "But there's still the festival, and Sora needs to stretch his legs." She produced her gold vessel and conjured her child-like homunculus, who looked up at his master and blinked his dark eyes.

"Mommy summoned me?"

"Oh, yes I did," Mizuki nodded, once again wading into the crowd. "Follow me. Let's have a little adventure!"

"If Mommy wants it," Sora complied obediently, walking briskly after her.

What is he, her pet? Morrel wondered. Still, he jogged to keep up with his companions and avoid losing them in the crowd.

*o*o*o*o*

Hardly making a sound, Maretta dropped down from a tall stone wall and landed in the Colosseum's courtyard, her target coming into range at last. The top level of the Colosseum had a huge patio outside the structure's offices, and this was where the Colosseum's managers relaxed after a hard day at work. The endless apartment towers, churches, and banks of Ravnica sprawled in every direction, but none of the city's hustle and bustle mattered right now: Maretta had one thing in mind.

A bald man in deep blue clothing wandered briskly though the patio's gardens, whistling idly to himself after a hard day of organizing for tomorrow's tournament. So distracted was he that he didn't notice the lithe, whip-wielding woman landing behind him from the stone wall's top. Maretta smiled to herself as she took her whip handle off her belt and flooded it with rich blue and white mana, bringing the mana cord to life with a loud, bubbly hiss.

"Who goes there?" the man yelped, whirling around. He staggered back, clutching at his heart in terror as he beheld Maretta. "A-are you going to kill me?"

"Me? No! I don't harm you, dearie," Maretta taunted him, lashing her whip against the garden path. Sparks sizzled where the mana whip struck the stone pathway. "But I do want to take control of you. How does that sound?"

"G... get away from me!" the man cried, haphazardly turning around and scampering off. Bunching up her leg muscles, Maretta pounced after him and flicked her wrist, sending the mana whip slashing through the air. The whip's tip pierced the man's neck and deposited a small sphere of blue-white mana that sank into his skin and settled inside his spinal cord. The man's muscles went slack and he fell clumsily to his hands and knees, gasping for breath.

"That's a new trick I've learned," Maretta gloated as she landed from her pounce on her hands and knees like a cat. She stood upright, whip in hand. "I can't control your body without my whip touching you, but your mind is a different matter! My spies tell me that a boy and girl named Morrel and Mizuki will be entering your tournament. Make sure that they die."

The man wheezed as he got back to his feet, a blank expression on his face. "Y-yes... mistress."

"Great!" Maretta beamed. "Now I've got to tell Rohkan... wherever he even went." And with that, she whistled loudly and a tattered drake swooped into the area. Mounting the drake, Maretta deactivated her whip and took off into Ravnica's endless metropolis.

*o*o*o*o*

Cards in this chapter... Festival of the Guildpact, Courier's Capsule, Homunculus (creature token), Tattered Drake