"I never want to hear another haiku again in my life," Veronica groans, slumping down onto Serena. Her sister giggles, adjusting the (suddenly) much smaller girl.

"Oh, but Hotto was lovely," she gushes. "It was all so very different from Arboria. I've never even heard of a steam bath before, but I can't wait to try it again."

"Really? After we got jumped by monsters in the last one?" Veronica huffs. "No thank you."

"You can say that again," Erik says, arriving at their little camp, Luminary in tow. Both carry bales of hay to use as makeshift beds. "Those baths are nothing but trouble."

They drop off the bales and settle down in front of the fire. Erik takes one look at the pair and laughs, "At least one of us is comfortable."

Veronica sticks her tongue out at him from where she sits on Serena's lap, he rolls his eyes in response. They'd made the decision to camp out at the edge of the Steppe early, not willing to go through the neighboring desert at night.

Serena looks up from the stew. "I wanted to ask earlier, but how did you and the Luminary meet, Erik?"

"Huh? Oh, that story?" Erik smirks. "Well, after this guy got a taste of Heliodor's generosity, he ended up in the cell across from mine."

"A cell?" Serena blinks. "Why would the king imprison you and the Luminary?"

"I got a nice long sentence after nabbing this little beauty," Erik lifts his pouch and flashes the Red Orb, then stashes it back. "As for him, it looks like Heliodor has a thing against the Luminary for some reason. They even call him the 'Darkspawn'. Whatever that means."

"That's horrible! To spread such lies goes against everything we've learned in Arboria," Serena scowls, the first time he's seen her properly angry. Veronica, too, seemed miffed at the news.

"They seem pretty convinced of it. Enough to chase us halfway across the world, at least." Erik shrugs. "Anyway, after we broke out of the cells, we had some… mishaps."

"Mishaps?" Veronica repeats, raising an eyebrow.

"We were spotted and got surrounded. Luckily Heliodorans are as awful at building bridges as they are at capturing us," even the Luminary next to him cracks a smile at that, "and the thing collapsed. Washed us all away down the sewers."

Veronica and her sister make a face. Erik winces, "Yeah. Turns out they have a bit of a pest problem down there, too. In the form of a dragon. Damn thing nearly roasted us when we ducked into a tunnel."

As he continues telling the tale, Serena and even Veronica give them a sympathetic look. Their first meeting was definitely unique, and not in a good way. It took him days before the smell washed off his clothes, and thinking about it makes him shudder even now. The dragon was just the icing on the cake.

"We figured the worst was over when we made it outside," Erik rolled his eyes. "Yeah, stupid of us, I know, 'cause it turns out that it was a cliff overlooking a river, one hundred feet up. And that's when the guards showed up."

"Goodness…" Serena's eyes are wide. "Did they really try to arrest you again?"

"Of course they did," he shook his head. Honestly, the guards should've just let them walk at that point. What they went through was punishment enough. "After all that? We took our chances with the cliff. Woke up floating downstream where a priestess took us in."

"That's some story," Veronica says in awe, looking at the thief in a new light. "Certainly more eventful than I thought it was going to be."

"I'll say," Serena says. "You two have been through a whole lot, haven't you?"

"You can say that again." Erik idly unsheathes his dagger and inspects it. He makes it a point every night to make sure all his equipment is in working order; A habit he picked up a long time ago. When money was tight, you didn't want to blow more on replacing them.

"I know I asked you before, but," Erik asks, looking up at Veronica. "Are you sure you're alright looking like that? You got in a lot of trouble for it back in the village."

The sorcerer huffs, "Only because that pig-headed bartender wouldn't listen. If I can get past the snooty adults who think they know better, it's nice being young again. I don't mind it at all."

She cracks a grin, "We just have to worry about someone thinking Serena is my mother."

"Veronica!" Serena frowns as Erik laughs. "I don't wish to be scolded if someone thinks I taught you such things."

"Haha, sorry, sorry. You look too young to be a mother anyways," Veronica smirks up at her playfully. Serena smiles, "Now you're just trying to flatter me!"

"You know me too well."

Erik glances at the Luminary next to him, watching as he fiddles with the little charm notched onto his belt. "Feeling homesick?"

He pauses, setting the charm down and glancing up with a smile. "They remind me of someone. The person who made me this charm."

"Gemma, right? Heard you talk about her once or twice," Erik says.

"Yeah. She was very kind, but when she got mad, she'd wake the whole village with her yelling." He gives a fond laugh. "If we don't get to them in time, the guards will probably let her go just to stop her complaining."

Ever since the Emerald Coast, the Luminary has gotten a whole lot more talkative. Erik can't explain it, but he's more than happy to see his mood improving. Their little talk seemed to do him some good.

"You know, ever since Heliodor it's been one thing after another," Erik starts, "but I never did get your name. Calling you the Luminary has to get old, right?"

Serena and Veronica look over, evidently interested.

"Ah," he looks away. Erik blinks. Did he do something wrong? The thief leans over, noticing a spot of red on his cheeks. "It's a little… embarrassing."

"Embarrassing?" Erik definitely didn't expect that.

"It's silly, I know, but when I was a kid I used to get teased for it a lot," he says softly. The twins have to shuffle closer to hear him over the fire. "Eventually I stopped telling people what it was and hoped they wouldn't ask."

"I'm sure it's a fine name," Serena reassures him. "But it's alright if you don't wish to tell us."

"Serena knows a thing or two about being teased," Veronica nods sagely even as Serena gives her a scandalized look.

The Luminary takes a deep breath, then opens his mouth hesitantly. "It's Eleven."

"Huh?" Erik blinks.

"My name, it's Eleven." The Luminary- Eleven hunches down. Erik wants to slap himself, because that's probably the reaction he was afraid of. I'm an idiot.

"Eleven, hm? It's definitely unique, but I don't see what's so bad about it," Erik tries to salvage the conversation. "Trust me, you hear some pretty weird names in my profession. I met a guy in the slums who's name was Lady. I think his parents were hoping for a girl and took it out on him, the poor guy."

Eleven relaxes and laughs. Erik breathes out a sigh of relief. "Lady?"

"I know right?" he gives a toothy grin. He made sure to toss that guy a few coins when he saw him; It was the least he could do for such an unfortunate soul. Last he heard of him was taking up farm work out in the neighbouring towns. Hopefully with a nickname this time.

Actually… "What do you think of 'El'?"

"El?" Eleven blinks.

"Yeah, like a nickname. That work for you?"

El brightens, a smile forming on his face. "Yeah, I like it. Thank you, Erik."

"No problem."

"Um," his eyes cut to Serena, who holds her clasped hands up. "If it's alright, may we call you by 'El' as well?"

"Of course," El nods. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Serena looks positively joyful at that. The satisfied smile Veronica shoots at him lets him know just how happy he made her as well.

Later that night, when everything quiets down, Eleven muses on how much easier it feels to talk around his new friends. It fills him with warmth, just how supportive they are of him. It makes the Luminary thing easier, too: Having friends that believe in him.