Cutscene: The Kingdom on Fire (Flay)
"Your arm is fat." Bree poked at Flay's right arm, earning a hiss of pain from the boy but not minding it.
"It's swollen." Flay corrected her, rising said limb so the girl couldn't touch it a second time "I can't heal that."
"Why." The girl's eyes were fixed on his arm. She looked ready to pounce to touch it again.
"Beats me." Flay scowled while turning a corner and ignoring the need to lower his arm. The Liar almost took it whole with him. The raven haired boy would take not being an amputee as a win.
Still, the bastard saw Flay's face. He didn't know the whole thing, took a while for the memories to click in. But Flay was almost sure that had been the Liar from his previous life. He only knew the Liar hates him, and Flay him. But not much else. It actually surprised Flay that the Liar didn't take his life with that trick he used at the end. Flay knew the bastard could use chantless magic, but he hadn't expected the spirits to protect him on their own volition.
A wind explosion that took his right cheek and would have gotten his eye if Temperance hadn't protected it, which demolished his arm and weapon. Flay could only crawl away when the pain and blood registered, to then run away as more armored pigs arrived close enough. By all means, Flay was disturbed by the lack of killing intent from a guy who supposedly hates him. Flay's life had been at peril for less, it just didn't make sense he got away so easily.
Granted, he almost lost his connection to the water spirit, but still.
The other shoe is about to drop; he can feel it. But before it does, he'll get Bree to safety.
"Quick. We're almost there." The small sack Bree held contains the meager treasure Flays hid all around the slums in hopes hiding his spare coins and objects in separated locations would help reduce the hit of them being stolen. And it did, he just had to take them out of their hiding spots way too soon for it to matter.
"…!" A person dove for cover. Flay reached out for a knife that he no longer possesses, but Temperance provided an ice one instead.
"Bitch, get back here!" The crazy old hag could be heard hitting someone and dragging them along the screech of the wheels she used to move.
So this is the place.
"It's him!" One of the girls exclaimed as Flay entered the dark place that had served once as her prison. She looked ready to attack him with a piece of wood she carried, and the other girls had different reactions ranging from fear to curiosity.
The ones pushing the crazy old hag's wheelchair stepped back before remembering what they were doing.
"Fuck, it's you again. Did you change your mind about letting me live?" The woman spat on his naked foot. Flay simply made Bree step aside so the woman couldn't aim at her.
"I'm leaving." He stated simply, looking around the brothel to see if he could take something with him. Everything still smelled like blood, but he'd take anything useful.
"With her, I hope." The woman pointed her now useless cane at the girl hiding behind Flay "Or am I supposed to babysit another brat with the armors falling on us like locust? Fuck, just kill me already. I'm not doing it."
"I'm coming with him." Bree replied before he could say anything "I came to say bye!"
"Oh, well. You can fuck off already, then." The woman hit the cane on the floor twice, the two girls pushed her towards the nearest table "And don't set this place on fire!"
"I've set buildings on fire to push the knights away from here." Flay replied flatly, managing to snatch a jar with water and throwing it on the ground. He didn't hear the protest and asked Passion to clean the vessel. Then, he asked Temperance for something to drink "Here." No way he was giving Bree dirty water.
"Well, how magnanimous of you. Fucker." The woman made a reverence motion with great displeasure "Truly a great fellow."
"You hid Bree while I fought." Flay shrugged "That is all."
"And I don't suppose you can give us more water?" The woman rose an eyebrow as Temperance refilled the jar for him.
"That is all." Flay repeated before gulping some of the water. He simply threw the jar in their general direction, spilling what he didn't drink all over the floor "Use it to clean, or something. It reeks of blood in here."
The girls cursed, but the old hag simply looked at the vessel in contemplation.
"Tell you what. Let's talk business." The woman showed her missing teeth to the boy. He showed his disgust, very tempted to spit too "We'll get you some meat and you give us clean water. How does that sound?"
"Where did you get…?" The smell of blood hadn't left his nostrils "Ah, makes sense." He turned to Bree, who stared at him and simply placed her tiny hands on her stomach "Is it cooked?" The hag nodded "You have a deal."
"Bitch six." The hag hit her cane on the ground "Two pieces."
"Two?" A short haired girl almost jumped on her spot "But that's…"
"The gentlefuck here will fill the jar and the liquor barrel, isn't that right?" At her question Flay simply shrugged "Hurry! We don't have all the fucking day!"
Flay looked out through the hole making the job of a window. The day was hot and the fires weren't helping.
…Maybe he can make it rain? He doesn't really remember how to do it. But with his spirits he should be able to, right?
With the deal made, Flay simply allowed Bree to nibble at the food while he prepared once again for the barefoot walk.
"Don't starve." Flay grabbed Bree by the hand, not turning back.
"Fuck you, brat. Don't get yourselves killed." The woman spat.
"Bye Meggster!" Bree almost spat the food on her mouth. The woman looked ready to bust a vein.
"The fuck did you call me?! I'll kill you, asshole!" The girls restrained her. Preventing her from moving from the makeshift wheelchair made out of a cannon platform and a normal chair. Flay felt tempted to light a fire inside the brothel, but he desisted.
The blankets he used as makeshift cape flowed from the running. He took Bree on his shoulders and hurried along the streets of the slums. With nothing much to do besides run in weird directions to avoid people, Flay simply came back to steal a cloth that would serve as a hoodie.
The previous him always wondered why characters in his entertainment thing used them, it felt obvious they were hiding or running away. But in the afternoon when the sun is still up and about and a lot of people have spent the whole day under it? Some coverage was just logical. Besides, his black hair would get attention even if no one saw his eyes. He needed Bree to be protected too, so he asked Temperance to hide some water behind her hoodie. Just in case someone tried to hit her.
His chest pounded. The main streets weren't filled with knights yet, but he knew he had been discovered. He couldn't wait another day until his wounds hurt less. They needed to get out of the capital ASAP…
Ah, another expression from the other world.
"Ready?" Bree looked at him and nodded. She looked way calmer than he felt "Alright. Like we practiced. Walk on the opposite side of the street. We'll meet close to the gates, but if you can slip out do. I'll climb the walls at night and we'll get out of here.
The Theodore family lives in a town about four days on horse from the capital. The best shot they have not only because of closeness, but because they would be willing to hire him while word of his appearance wasn't spread because nobles don't like to appear weak and broadcast their stupidity.
They will be fine. Perfectly fine. Everything is going to be okay. Nothing will go wrong.
Bree will be safe.
"Don't go too far away." The little girl gave him those puppy eyes he couldn't resist. The name came in spades, the phantom of her face coming to his mind's eye. His aching heart hurt a lot more, but he couldn't show Bree what he felt.
"I'm not leaving you." He took the pouch and gave her the coins "I'll keep the food. You take the money. Okay?" The girl nodded "Are you thirsty? Do you need to relieve yourself?"
"Let's do this!" Bree smirked. Flay tried to mimic her expression "Bye, Passion! Bye, Temerase! See ya' soon!" The girl looked to both sides of the street and joined the pedestrians with her hoodie down. She began dancing around like a child looking for something. Flay's chest didn't stop pounding like drums but he knew better than to worry about Bree being alone.
He hid his black hair with the stolen cloth and joined the street. Stolen shoes helped fool people into thinking he wasn't a homeless person. His eyes were square on Bree while he walked around the street and horses ran by while the pedestrians were doing their thing. His arm ached, like a dreadful omen that Flay couldn't help worry about.
For better or worse, the capital of the kingdom is quite huge for a kid to travel on foot. It'd serve as cover for people looking for him, but it also means he will have to spend more time at the wolf's den. With the World doing its thing, his fears weren't unfounded. The ongoing event will be his undoing.
The Academy was visible to the west. Flay wondered many times if it would be like the schools of the previous him and his world. Or if it would teach him to be a selfish asshole like the nobles. Now, the heavy guarded appearance made him more nervous, even if there was some distance from it.
No one would believe the World didn't interfere here.
"Excuse me." Flay didn't stop. There were hundreds of people on the streets. Even if it was directed to him, which it wasn't, the noise could give him an excuse to ignore the person "Hey, I'm talking to you!"
He was spun on his feet by an unarmored hand. A teenager dressing in black like the male students from his memories flinched when he saw his face.
"Accursed One." His features and short hair would be handsome for anyone else. But Flay knew the guy was about ready to slap him silly for the minor provocation "The hell's something like you doing where he can be seen? Get back in your hole, vermin."
"Sorry." Flay mumbled. He quickly turned around and walked briskly towards an alley. He didn't want to leave Bree out of his sight, but she knew where they are going. And it's not like she can't take care of herself.
He hid behind the wall and sighed. His arm hurt a lot more since last time and Flay had to cradle it to try an appease whatever was causing it. He peeked back to the spot he had been confronted to see the teenager talking to a young man he knew the name of.
"Joseph." The Liar's voice echoed in his mind, almost like a hammer nailing the coffin that broke upon impact. Flay ran.
He didn't bother going through the alley. He knew he was spotted already. His best bet would be to lose them among the people and disappear through─
"GAAAAH!" Flay fell. The smell of iron already on his nose from taking the pavement with the face. People yelled and moved away from him. A horse even almost stomping him as it rose to two legs before he rolled out of the way. He couldn't move properly. Why?
Because an arrow had pierced his left thigh.
"Milady!" Damn, damn, damn, damn!
Flay couldn't distinguish the noise, nor he could see Bree with his bloodshot vision. Realization gave place to anger, then bitterness and finally to irony and resignation.
"Be safe, Komachi." Flay roared. His Twilight Beast Forme engulfed him in the plaza before the noble younglings could come close and see him.