Chapter 8: A Night In Tolbi
Mia opened her eyes to a dimly lit room she didn't recognize. White marble walls greeted the adept, reflecting light from the setting sun outside a window nearby. Mia was surprised to find herself feeling soft and relaxed despite her unfamiliar surroundings, and realized she was lying on a bed.
How did I get here? Her mind wondered, still groggy from sleep. The Kraken...Isaac… Mia remembered snippets of what had happened as she began to get more awareness of her surroundings. Ah...We must have made it to town then, she realized.
Turning her head gently to take in more of what was around her, Mia saw the sight she was hoping for. A relieved looking Venus adept was sitting in a chair by her bedside, glad to see she was okay.
"Mia!" Isaac exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're all right...I was worried about you after you collapsed on the ship," he explained.
Mia sat up in the bed. "I'm glad to see that you're doing better as well," she replied in reference to the poison she had mostly cleansed from him. Looking around at her surroundings, Mia felt a question on her lips, however Isaac answered it before she could voice her thoughts.
"We're in Tolbi," Isaac stated. "Actually, more accurately we're in the palace in Tolbi," he added.
Ah...that's why this room looks so...decorative...compared to most places, Mia realized. But the palace? Why would we be there? Again, Mia turned to Isaac to ask another question and the blonde boy answered without hesitation.
"It's a long story," Isaac told her with a kind smile, knowing what she was about to say. "You missed a lot while you were out. You must have been exhausted."
"Yes...exhausted," Mia replied quickly, glancing away from Isaac and down at the bedsheets still partially covering her, an instinctive reaction to her misleading confirmation. Now is not the time to explain how I actually healed him, she knew. He would only worry about me needlessly instead of himself and his own recovery.
Gently helping Mia lay back down, Isaac smiled, once again showing his mood was improved now that she had awoken. "Rest up," he told the cerulean haired girl. "I'm glad to see you well," Isaac added again.
Mia allowed the blonde boy to fret over her and laid back to relax, even though she knew she was fine. The truth is, the idea of Isaac worrying about me makes my happy, Mia knew. I don't actually mind it at all…
With a slight blush at her own thoughts, Mia shifted herself so she could see Isaac clearly and hear what had transpired during her brief respite. Isaac glanced across the room briefly to break eye contact with Mia before starting to talk about what had happened recently.
"The ship was pretty damaged, but fortunately still in workable condition and we were already pretty close to Tolbi when that attack from the Kraken happened," Isaac explained. "The crew managed to bring us in to dock and we were trying to figure out what to do since you were still out completely."
Isaac sighed. "This next part is how we ended up here, but it was all pretty strange...Basically, we got approached by a lot of guards to see what happened to the ship and after hearing the story of how we fought off the Kraken, they took us to the palace to get medical treatment for you, and they also wanted us to meet with the man in charge of the city since we had killed the Kraken."
I must have missed more than I thought… Mia realized as she tried to absorb all the information Isaac was giving her. "I see a lot has been going on," she stated aloud with a humorous tone.
"The thing is...that's not all," Isaac added. "We ended up meeting with the leader of the city...his name is Babi...and he knows all about psynergy."
"Wait..what?" Mia replied, surprised to hear they had run into someone else who also knew about the power of psynergy. "Is he an adept then?" she asked.
"We aren't quite sure…" Isaac answered, unable to be any clearer on who exactly he was. "He definitely knows about it and could see it as well when we showed him that we do in fact have the ability to use it." Isaac shook his head. "Because of that, he requested that one of us compete in the Colosso tournament the city is holding so that he could see our powers firsthand…"
Compete in Colosso? Mia asked herself. On such short notice too...but why does this Babi want to see our psynergy? Mia closed her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming and if all Isaac hadjust revealed was actually in her head. Opening them again to see the same scene with Isaac watching her reaction, Mia just shook her head incredulously. "What a turn of events…" she said to Isaac. "I really did miss more than I thought…"
Isaac shook his head as well. "More than that, he even designated me as the person to fight. Apparently they asked the sailors who the leader of our group was since we defeated the Kraken…"
At that news, Mia sit up quickly in surprise again. "Isaac you can't!" she stated. "You were badly hurt by the Kraken and haven't even recovered yet...what are they thinking?"
Isaac flinched a bit at Mia's reaction to the news but decided it would be best to be quiet for the moment and let Mia continue to speak.
Mia glanced into Isaac's eyes to try to read his thoughts about everything and let out a sigh. "Oh no...don't tell me you actually agreed to all this," Mia said, watching Isaac's response carefully.
The blonde boy shrugged and glanced away just long enough for Mia to get her answer. "You did! Oh Mercury, you actually agreed...even after just being critically injured earlier today!"
Isaac you idiot, Mia wanted to say, but she couldn't put her voice to it. He has no idea how close he was to dying earlier…
"Mia, I-" Isaac tried to get out an explanation, but Mia was having none of it.
"No, Isaac...what are you thinking?!" Mia exclaimed. "You're in no condition to be fighting again so soon...especially alone! You were not doing well after that Kraken fight and still need to recover," she added.
"I know Mia," Isaac said, reaching out his hand and placing it over the top of Mia's as a gesture to try to calm the girl. "I know you took care of me after the fight and helped me recover," Isaac said. "The thing is, they specifically requested me for whatever reason and they did help us out a lot by providing us all a place to stay here as well as medical attention for you," the blonde boy added.
Isaac's touch worked, and Mia could feel the emotion in herself starting to simmer down a bit, even if only because his ability to calm her down was unparalleled.
Mia glanced around at the room again. "I'm grateful for that, but why does that mean you should have to fight when you're still recovering from your injuries?" she asked.
Isaac lowered his head a bit to acknowledge that she was probably right about how he shouldn't be fighting. "It's just doing a favor for the people that offered up a place to stay as well as provided aid for you as well," he re-stated. "In addition to that, Babi also said that he can provide help for our quest in exchange for another favor should we prove we're capable enough with psynergy."
Mia raised her eyebrow slightly in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked. "What kind of help?" Everything was becoming a bit much for the Mercury adept to process and she brought a hand up to run it through her hair while waiting for Isaac to explain further.
Isaac let out a small sigh of relief, glad to see Mia had calmed down somewhat. "It's a ship I'm pretty sure," he replied. "Babi was talking about an island on the ocean that he needed to find and said that he had a ship that we could use to help him with that." Mia looked ready to speak again, but Isaac quickly explained the rest of the point before she had a chance. "He knows we're chasing after Saturos and Menardi and said that we could use the ship to help us do that as long as we could check a spot in the sea for him where he believes that island to be."
Mia was perplexed by the idea. That doesn't actually sound like such a bad trade and it would give use a much easier way of getting around to chase down the others...but why us?
"Why wouldn't he just send a crew out on the ship to find the island he's looking for?" Mia asked, still trying to see how all the pieces fit together.
Isaac gave a knowing smile, expecting the question. "That's because it's a ship powered by psynergy," he said simply.
With an imaginary click, the puzzle was solved and Mia finally understood what was happening. "I see…" she stated, glancing at Isaac. "So that means that he heard about our powers because of the Kraken, wants you to fight in Colosso to see if you really do posses the power of psynergy, and then allow us to use his ship that can only be piloted by adepts in order to find an island that he doesn't know exists that is somewhere in the open sea, while also trying to keep up with Saturos and Menardi to stop the lighthouses form being lit."
"I...uh...yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Isaac said.
Mia shook her head and laid back down on the bed. "It's a bit crazy to just wake up and hear all that, but it actually does make some sense...surprisingly." She sighed. "Though, for the record, I still don't think it's a good idea for you to be fighting so soon after recovering from the Kraken," Mia added, giving Isaac a smile to let him know she was going to stop bringing it up for the time being.
Isaac nodded at her. "Glad to have you back," he said, knowing Mia was okay based on her reaction to all the news.
The blonde boy looked relieved at Mia's understanding of the situation, and Mia smiled to herself. Maybe I was a bit hard on him about everything… she mused.
"Are you hungry?" Isaac asked, breaking past Mia's thoughts and catching her attention.
Isaac was looking at her curiously. No doubt he's concerned since I haven't been awake to eat anything since the morning. Mia flashed a quick smile Isaac's way. "I'll be okay, thanks," she said. "I think I'm still a bit tired so I want to rest up a little bit," Mia added.
"Okay," Isaac replied simply. "Garet and Ivan were getting some food...so now that I know you're okay, I'm going to go eat as well," Isaac said, voicing his intentions almost as if he was seeking Mia's approval.
The Mercury adept just nodded. "Especially considering you're fighting tomorrow, you definitely need to eat up and regain your strength," she told Isaac.
The blonde boy smiled at Mia. "If you feel up to joining us, we'll be just down the hall to the right," he stated. "If you aren't up to it, I'll bring some food back for you so you can eat before bed," Isaac added.
He's always so thoughtful! Mia's mind said as she took another glance at the Venus adept near her bedside. "Thank you Isaac," she said with a smile as she felt a slight squeeze of her hand before Isaac let go and went to leave to go eat.
As the door closed behind Isaac, Mia let herself relax more, her head falling back onto the pillow behind her as she shut her eyes. Visions of Isaac began to play in her head as her thoughts dwelled on him. Clenching her hands together briefly before bringing them up to cup her cheeks in embarrassment, Mia considered how relaxing Isaac's touch was. I didn't even notice he was still holding onto my hand! She recognized, feeling a blush spreading out from her cheeks.
I like having him here...having him around...there's just something about him that draws me in...and makes me happy… Mia admitted to herself. He was watching over me, she thought happily, clutching a closed fist against her chest as her heartbeat quickened slightly.
A feeling Mia couldn't fully grasp began stirring inside of her, starting from her chest and seeming to spread outward ever so slowly. The sensation was weird and foreign to her, yet still felt familiar somehow, as if she had felt it before, but never truly knew what it was.
Slowing her breathing, Mia tried to remain calm in the face of the strange sensation, not quite sure what to make of its presence. The poison? She wondered, as Mia moved her other hand to the sheets on the bed, gripping onto them tightly as if they were an anchor for her consciousness.
As her prior thoughts began to fade from her mind, replaced by worries that the venom from her healing of Isaac was still affecting her, the feeling began to fade again, just causing more confusion in Mia's mind.
The cerulean haired girl called upon her psynergy anyway, using it to check for any trace of poisoning that still remained, but found no trace despite her best efforts. It's not the poison after all... Mia recognized, unsure what to make of the fleeting feeling that had affected her.
It was so...raw...untamed… Mia thought, trying to make sense of things to herself. It was a strong feeling, something that I just know I've felt before! ... But for some reason, I can't seem to find the cause…
With a sigh, Mia opened her eyes to look up at the lavishly decorated ceiling above her. The fleeting feeling had all but vanished and she knew it was futile to dwell on it now. Still, it was strange that it came and went that quickly, Mia mused, tracing the patterns on the ceiling with her mind as a distraction.
I can't believe all the things that have happened so far, Mia thought, amused by all the different places the band of adepts had visited. From wooden ceilings to intricately decorated ones...and even our own tents on the side of the road...I feel like I've seen so many new places and a wide range of what the world has to offer.
Each day promises to bring interesting new experiences...as well as hurdles to overcome, Mia knew. Of course there are times where I am afraid, worried about my companions, or unsure of how to proceed...scared of how the world around us continues to change in response to the disruption of elemental balance…
But...there are the days where despite everything, the journey is still fun, with enjoyment just around the corner. Mia's mind settled on her companions, happy to be undertaking this quest with them. My friends are always there for me. They are people I can rely on and trust to have my back.
The good times...the bad times...all of it is what makes up this journey we're on. Each experience...each new place, just a piece of the puzzle that combines to make a whole. Mia smiled to herself while lying in the unfamiliar bed of yet another city. How will this one fit into the grand scheme of things? She wondered, unsure as always about where their path would lead, especially after all the information Isaac had just told her.
Another question entered Mia's mind, a natural result of her brooding on the subject: Would I do it again? The answer would not normally be an easy one, but for the Mercury adept, she had her mind made up even as the question entered her mind for the first time.
Yes.
Despite all the ups and downs...the hardships...adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings and situations...It's all worth it in the end. To protect the lighthouses with my friends by my side...I would have it no other way, Mia decided.
It was a serious thing to think about, and a question Mia could not take lightly, but the conviction in her mind that this was the right path was unwavering. There have been plenty of close calls for us before, Mia knew, thinking back to the recent battle with the Kraken on the ship. There will likely be many more in the future too...but if we can overcome those hardships and fulfill our promise to protect the world, it will all be worth it in the end. To create a world in which everyone can live peacefully...this is why we endure everything in our path and work towards a better tomorrow.
The realization Mia made about her motivation for the quest, and belief in it, was not as much of a revelation as she had thought it would be.
Mia understood where she draw a lot of her strength from. I may have joined this group out of a desire to make up for my failings in protecting the Mercury Lighthouse...but somewhere along the way my priorities shifted… Mia rolled over in bed so that she was on her side in order to get a better look at some of the room around her. This journey isn't something that was just about me or my failings...It never was. This journey is now about saving what's precious to me...my friends, Imil, everyone back home...even this room around me that I've never seen before.
Mia continued to look around the room she was in, taking in all the sights she could. The lamp by her bedside providing candlelight to the room, to the upturned corner of a carpet on the floor, disturbed by the passing of another person, everything had a sense of importance to Mia that it might not have had before her journey began.
People everywhere are just trying to live their lives...from grand cities like this to small mining towns in the mountains. Everyone is out there doing their best to live and adapt as the world around us changes. I think the preservation of that is what makes this journey truly worth it.
Mia continued to lay there, just thinking about events that had occurred as well as those still to come. It was not strange for her to know that her reasons for continuing her travels had shifted. In fact, it all made sense in her mind. The subject was a serious one, and one she had discussed with Isaac on occasions in the past, generally in the form of various phenomenon indicating the changing of the world as a whole.
Mia was forced to admit that their conclusions on the matter were sometimes less than satisfactory, but took comfort in the fact they were not alone in their observations. What heavy thoughts for a 'recovering' adept, Mia thought wryly. Taking the chance to sit up, she did her best to pull her mind away from their journey, as there was not much use to brooding on the purpose of it in the present moment.
"Perhaps I should join the others for some dinner," Mia said aloud to herself as her stomach rumbled in agreement at the thought of food. Almost laughing at the perfect timing of her statement, Mia decided she should do just that. It would be nice to have the company of my companions to prevent me from dwelling on these kinds of thoughts for too long, she felt.
Though Mia knew she was perfectly fine after recovering from the ordeal of healing Isaac, the cerulean haired girl still exercised caution getting out of bed as a force of habit from prior injuries. Standing on the soft carpet placed over the marble floor, she could feel the sense of luxury as a physical sensation on her feet.
For the first time, Mia noticed a small basket off to the side of the bed containing her robes, fully cleaned despite everything that had happened on the ship with the Kraken. She hesitated for a moment as she looked at them, realizing she was wearing a different set of clothes than she was used to, likely provided by the palace after bringing her in from the ship.
When did they change those out though? Mia asked herself, walking over to her robes and running a hand over the spotless garments. I assume if they did a medical examination… The logical conclusion jumped into her mind first, after all that's what she would do if a recovering patient was unconscious and could not continue wearing waterlogged and bloodstained clothing.
Isaac though… The irrational half of her head butted in. He was here watching over me...I wonder… Mia shook her head to try to rid herself of the thoughts creeping into her mind as her face flushed red in embarrassment that she would even entertain that thought.
No. Mia told herself. That's not like Isaac...knowing him, he let the healers here tend to me despite his concern. Having successfully pushed her thoughts on the matter into the back of her mind, all that remained was a slight sense of surprise. Mia found that while the idea was embarrassing to the extreme, she didn't really seem to mind that much and it was accompanied by a vague feeling of excitement, something that seemed out of place for the situation.
Now curious about the robe she had on instead of her usual Imilian garments, Mia looked around the room again, locating a mirror on the far wall, opposite of her bed. Walking over to it, she looked at herself in the mirror, getting a glimpse of what she was wearing thanks to the hospitality of Tolbi.
The robe was of simple design, obviously made for everyday wear and likely one of the common styles of clothing in the area. It was somewhat more form fitting than the heavy Imilian robes she normally wore, but Mia attributed that to the fact it was thinner, made for a warmer climate than her hometown. It will do for the time being, she decided. No reason to refuse the hospitality of this city I haven't seen yet when they've already taken such good care of us.
Mia smiled and walked over to her personal belongings, reaching out to grab her mace, but hesitated as her fingers touched the cool steel. It might be taken as an insult if I walked around with a weapon here, she thought and she realized she didn't know the culture, or really anything about the people that lived here. Plus, if they had any ill will towards me they already had plenty of chances for that when I was still out.
Leaving the weapon laying next to her other belongings, Mia walked over to the door of the room and opened it, revealing a hallway every bit as impressive as her room. A long, deep red colored carpet lined the center of the walkway, illuminated by lanterns hung from the walls and chandeliers dangling from the vaulted ceilings. There was money here, that much was clear.
Stepping out into the hallway, Mia shut the door behind her. Isaac said they were just down this hall, she remembered.
"Can I help you miss?" Someone said from nearby. Jumping slightly at the unexpected encounter, Mia turned to see what looked like a guard walking down the hall toward her.
"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Sorry, you startled me," she gave in way of an explanation. "I was just not sure exactly where I am…"
The guard stopped an arm's reach away from Mia. "Sorry about that," the guard chuckled, lightening the mood a bit. "You're one of those visitors that fought the sea monster aren't you?" the man asked, finally getting a better look at the Mercury adept. "I had heard you all were staying with us and one of you is even fighting in colosso tomorrow!" the guard said, some excitement creeping into his voice.
"Ah...yes, apparently so," Mia said, relaxing as she realized there was no danger and the man was just patrolling the palace to keep it safe.
"I knew it!" the guard added, but he composed himself again, obviously torn between curiosity over the group that killed a Kraken and his duty to the palace. "Sorry about that though," he said. "Did you need help finding something? You seemed a bit confused there," the man added.
"No problem at all," Mia replied, not put off at all by the guard's friendly demeanor. "I was actually going to look for my friends who said they were going to get some food...I think they mentioned they would just be down the hall…"
"Ah. They should just be down that hallway to the right," the guard answered, pointing back where he had just come from. "I think I saw a few other colosso entrants there as well," he added.
"Thanks," Mia replied with a smile, glancing down the indicated hallway.
"Good luck to your friend tomorrow," the guard said with a wink and short wave of his hand before turning to continue patrolling down the hallway past Mia.
Mia followed the path before her and the sounds of voices got louder before she rounded the corner. To her surprise, there was an entire setup of food lining the great hall as she entered the room, almost immediately spotting Isaac, Garet, and Ivan as she walked in. Nobody really seemed to notice her, as the other attendees were busy reveling in the food and excitement of the upcoming Colosso event.
The three boys noticed her as she reached them, making room for her around a table they were all three sitting at.
"Hey Mia," Garet piped up, greeting her warmly.
"Feeling better already?" Ivan asked, happy to see the cerulean haired adept up and about.
Isaac just smiled and nodded at Mia as she joined the adepts, having spoken to her not too long ago.
"Hey guys," Mia replied, addressing all of them with a weary smile. "I'm doing a lot better after sleeping things off," she answered in reply to Ivan's question.
"Good to hear!" Garet exclaimed, reaching to his plate for some more food. Pointing a utensil towards Mia briefly as he finished chewing, he kept everyone's attention. "Great job healing Isaac you know," he said for everyone at the table, making sure Mia knew she was appreciated for her role in the group.
Mia smiled, glad to see the Mars adept was as aloof as ever, knowing how serious he was being, but appreciating the lighthearted way of getting his point across. "Thanks," she said humbly. "I was just glad it was enough."
Isaac gave her an appreciative smile as Ivan chimed in to clarify what had happened. "You must have been exhausted after that to have fallen unconscious and then asleep for that long," the Jupiter adept stated.
To Mia it seemed the younger blonde boy had noticed something beyond mere exhaustion. Does he know the truth? She wondered, dwelling on Ivan's impeccable insight. It's not like I'm trying to keep the spell a secret necessarily...but I'd rather not having Isaac worry about me more than needed until I'm fully recovered myself…
Putting on a quick smile, she again misled her friends with a half truth. "I'm definitely tired," Mia said in reply to Ivan's comment. "I'll probably go back to sleep soon and rest up," Mia added, tension hanging in the air as she waited to see if Ivan would press the issue.
He didn't. The Jupiter adept nodded, and Mia was granted relief as Isaac spoke up. "Let's get you some food Mia," he stated, smiling at the cerulean haired girl next to him. "Apparently this is a customary feast for the Colosso contestants and the people they brought with them the night before the event. They insisted we take part," Isaac explained with a bit of a laugh.
Mia stood up again and looked over toward the tables piled with food for the taking. Walking over and grabbing a plate, she marveled at the vast assortment of food available. The offering appeared in stark contrast to their usual fare at an inn or on the road, containing rich pastries, exotic fruits, meats found in markets across the land, and delicacies of many kinds.
As she continued to look over the food and pick out a few things she wanted to try, a familiar dish caught Mia's eye. Is that….Lumfish? She wondered. It is! They're even using the traditional Imilan sauce.
Reminded of home, Mia took a helping of the fish for herself. Back in Imil lumfish was considered a delicacy due to their declining population in the cold ocean waters. Getting their name from the luminescence given off from lumfish schools, they were a staple of Imilan food for centuries until overfishing affected the natural availability of the fish and turned it into a rare treat.
Happy with her choices, a smiling Mia made her way back to her companions and took a seat again. Cutting out a small piece of fish to try, Mia paused in delight by the excellent, and authentic, taste. Cooked to perfection! Mia thought, happy by the little taste of home.
"Is that enough food for you?" Garet asked, looking over at Mia's plate where the small piece of fish lay alongside fruit from the mountain ranges of eastern Angara, spiced meat from northern Gondowan, and a pastry that appeared to be a local specialty.
Mia nodded, still savoring the flavor of the lumfish. "It all looks very rich and filling," she replied, glancing around to check out the assortment of food her companions had tried. Though everyone selected slightly different fare, one thing was in common among it all. The quality and preparation was second to none. "It should be plenty," Mia added to her observation as she tried one of the other dishes she picked out.
"But it all tastes so good…" Garet argued, wanting to try a little bit of everything he could get his hands on.
Isaac laughed. "You're going to feel sick if you eat too much," he reminded the fiery redhead.
"I know! That's what's so sad!" Garet exclaimed. "We haven't had many opportunities for a good meal since we began this whole journey and there's no way I'd pass this up."
Ivan nodded his agreement. "I'm with Garet on this one...the food is definitely top-notch," he said.
Isaac shrugged and looked over at Mia. "You seem to be enjoying yours quite a bit as well," he observed, picking at his own food at the same time.
Mia paused her eating for a moment to reply with a bit of humor. "Let's just say I'm glad I didn't miss out on this," she replied, thoroughly enjoying herself. "Do you not like yours?" she asked, noticing Isaac wasn't really eating all that much either.
Isaac smiled to reassure her. "No, I am most definitely impressed by the food...I just have to remember I'm going to be fighting in Colosso tomorrow and I probably shouldn't stuff myself too much," he reasoned.
Mia stopped smiling as she was reminded about Isaac's entry into the event. I still don't like the idea of any of it...even if it's going to help us out immensely in our quest. Mia picked at the rest of the food on her plate, still enjoying the savory tastes, but distracted by her concerns again.
Fortunately Isaac, Garet, and Ivan didn't seem to pick up on her shift in mood as the conversation turned to the tournament and speculation on the other contestants. Glancing around the room it was easy to tell who else was an actual participant.
It seems like a show of strength mostly, Mia observed, seeing heavily muscled men at some of the other tables, laughing and joking with friends and family. Glancing back at Isaac, she couldn't hold back a smile. I'm not sure why I'm so worried about all this. Isaac will be fine...it's just for show and besides...he can use psynergy. Mia knew that simple fact alone should be enough to make her confidant, but for a reason she couldn't put her finger on, Mia's could still feel worry in her heart.
Garet finally finished off the rest of his food and lay back in his chair with a contented sigh, drawing the attention of the rest of the group. "Well, I'm stuffed," he said, a fact already obvious to the rest of the adepts.
Ivan shook his head at his friend. "I feel like you always do this…" he sighed at Garet.
"Hey!" Garet replied, mildly offended. "Live life in the moment my friend," he said, waving away Ivan's comment with his hand. "It's not every day you get to eat this well on our journey," the Mars adept added.
Ivan had to admit Garet was right. "True enough. Point taken," he answered.
"Well with that established, I'm probably going to pass out soon enough as well. We don't get enough sleep on this trip either you know?" Garet said, addressing Isaac with the second half of his comment.
Isaac just shrugged, playing along despite knowing Garet wasn't seriously complaining about it. "I guess when it comes down it it, you were the first to grab one of those elemental stars….so I'd say you put yourself in that situation," the blonde boy retorted.
Ivan snorted with sudden laughter, unable to hold it back. "Yeah, Isaac's really got you there Garet," he said in between breaths.
Garet stood up suddenly, hitting his fists against the table somewhat loudly, but not enough to draw the attention of those around them. "Well, I guess if all you're going to do is blame me, I'm going to bed," he declared, using the short conversation as an excuse to get out of there.
This reaction just caused Isaac to crack a smile and Ivan to laugh even harder. Mia let out a short laugh as well and shook her head at Garet's antics. If it was anyone else she might have been worried, but these shows were part of the Mars adept's fun as she had quickly learned while traveling with him.
Watching Garet walk away, Ivan turned back towards Mia, who was just finishing off the last of her pastry. "Hey Mia…" he started to say.
"Hmm?" Mia inquired as her attention was drawn back to the table the three remaining adepts were sitting at. Mia knew she was in for it when Ivan gave her a wiseass grin.
"Do you remember that time when Garet-" Ivan started to say before Mia cut him off.
"Don't even bring it up," the cerulean haired girl got out before Ivan could finish talking. She knew exactly what he was about to say already. When I was still new to the group and learning about everyone's personality, Garet decided to give me a trial by fire to see how I'd fit in by reacting incredibly offended by anything that I said no matter how unrelated to him….and I kept apologizing for it until he felt bad about everything and let me in on the joke.
"That was just mean," Mia said, giving Ivan a little taste of overreaction, just as Garet had given her back then.
Ivan laughed, realizing that her response indicated she knew exactly what he was talking about. Even Isaac couldn't hide a chuckle thinking back on it and Mia turned to see the blonde boy's face full of merriment.
Mia suddenly giggled at the sight of Isaac's face as the blonde boy had missed wiping some sauce from his food off the corner of his mouth. Not sure why it was so amusing, Mia tried to point it out to him.
"Isaac, you missed a spot," she said, raising a finger to her own mouth to indicate where. Slightly embarrassed, Isaac raised his napkin to his face but tried to wipe the wrong side. "No, no, other side," Mia added, prompting Isaac to try again, though he missed the spot and didn't actually accomplish anything.
Sighing at the situation, Mia took matters into her own hand and used her napkin to wipe the sauce off Isaac's face. If he wasn't every embarassed before, Isaac certainly was now.
Mia just sat back in her chair again, smirking at the situation before Ivan butted in. "Wow, get a room you two," he joked, causing Mia to feel somewhat embarrassed as well. Neither Isaac nor Mia had anything to say to that, and Ivan just laughed, before standing up from the table.
"I think I'm going to retire for the night as well," he said, pushing his chair in and glancing over towards the hallway back to the rooms.
"All right. Good night Ivan," Isaac said, getting over his embarrassment from the Jupiter adept's comment.
"Good night," Mia chimed in, trying to forget about Ivan's suggestion as well.
That didn't mean Ivan was finished however. As he turned and began to walk off he made one last comment. "I hope you two enjoy your night," he said with a wink.
The insinuation was obvious, but niether Isaac or Mia graced the comment with a reply as they both turned slightly away from each other so as not to see the other's reaction.
Before the silence could get awkward Mia spoke up. "Don't you need to rest before tomorrow as well?" she asked the blonde boy.
Isaac looked back over at her. "Ah...yes that's true, I should probably do that," he said, glad to have an excuse to change the subject. Mia smiled and stood up from the table, indicating she was also done eating. Taking her cue, Isaac did the same, stepping away from the table to walk back toward the rooms with Mia.
The pair walked in silence as they approached the rooms they had been given by the palace, but when Isaac stopped in front of his room, he hesitated before entering. "Are you going to be all right tomorrow?" Mia asked him, betraying some of the worry she still had about the situation they found themselves in.
Isaac turned to her. "I'll be fine Mia," he said gently, placing his hand on Mia's shoulder in an attempt to reassure the girl.
Though her anxiety remained, Mia had no choice but to take Isaac's confidence at face value. As far as combat prowess are concerned, Isaac is second to none, Mia reminded herself, trying to match the blonde boy's sense of confidence. "All right," she answered, turning toward the Venus adept with a smile. "Good night then Isaac," Mia added.
"Good night Mia," Isaac replied. With that the two adepts went their separate ways. Isaac opened the door to his room and walked inside as Mia continued down the hall to the room she was in before.
Reaching for the doorknob, Mia tried once again to silence her worries for Isaac. Shaking her head, she gripped the cold metal of the handle and opened the door. Stepping inside, Mia gently closed the door behind her, but did not move farther into the room.
My mind just keeps going back to Isaac after those injuries from the fight on the ship, she admitted. Frustrated, she walked forward slightly and started slowly pacing back and forth in front of the door. I may have been the one out for longer after healing him, but I was never the one in danger of dying...I feel like I should still be at his side. Too bad that's not possible...
Mia stopped in her tracks again as she thought over things again. Why wouldn't it be possible though? She asked herself. He's just down the hall...there's nothing stopping me from just going over to his room...
Conflicted, Mia didn't know what to do. Logically she knew she should just leave Isaac to his rest and allow him to get some early sleep to ensure he was fully recovered and ready for the next day. ...But that's not really what you want is it? Part of Mia's head spoke up.
"I...I don't know…" she whispered to herself, torn between her personal desire to see Isaac and the answer common sense gave her.
Giving into her thoughts again, Mia changed the question on herself. He doesn't usually sleep this early. How much do you really think you'd be disturbing him?
She was used to having the blonde boy around and especially so shortly after being injured, Mia wouldn't normally think to leave Isaac's side. Even if he seems to be better, it just feels wrong to me not to be there with him, Mia felt. He's not even more than a door or two away.
Agonizing over the thought of going back to see Isaac, she walked over to her bed and let herself fall into it face first. The fluffy feeling mattress caught her as she stayed in that position for a few seconds before rolling over to look upwards at the ceiling.
Lying there, Mia thought back to earlier in the day when she had been glad to see Isaac there for her when she woke up. That one simple fact brought me so much happiness, she reflected with a smile gracing her face.
Mia began feeling a strange feeling in her chest again, just as she had earlier. Though she had mistaken it for after effects of the poison previously, Mia did not make the same mistake this time. It's that feeling again… she mused, trying desperately to reach out to it and determine what it was, and what it meant for her.
There was no need to use her psynergy to check her body this time. As the feeling intensified, Mia continued to feel a pull toward Isaac from her mind. Her desire to see the blonde boy seemed to intensify with each passing moment as she lay on the bed. Putting her hand over her chest, Mia finally understood. They're related! This feeling...my wish to see Isaac... The how and why remained firmly out of her grasp, but even with limited knowledge she was able to put two and two together. When I felt like this earlier, Isaac was here! ...And now I feel this way again because I want to see him?
Mia closed her eyes and tried to slow her thoughts down and make sense of them. These feelings are strong. I know I'm concerned about him and his injuries...My feelings about the wellbeing of my friends should be strong though.
There was something different about what she was feeling now. Somehow it wasn't just mere concern for her companion, and she knew it. I know what concern feels like. Mia told herself. I've felt concern many times before when Isaac, Garet, or Ivan ended up injured. This feeling now is different though. It feels like concern...but it doesn't. There's something else to it that makes it different…
Sighing loudly, the cerulean haired adept brought her hands up to her face, covering her eyes from the light of the room. Somehow, somewhere along the line Mia knew something had changed for her despite never noticing it.
Is this something that developed recently or has it always been there and I just never noticed? Mia asked herself. Unable to come up with a satisfactory answer, the question continued to burn in the back of her mind.
Unable to deny her feelings any longer, Mia got off the bed and stood up. I'm not going to get any sleep agonizing over all this, she knew. I….want to see him.
Walking back over to the door, Mia hesitantly reached out and turned the handle to walk outside again. Stepping into the hall, she glanced over toward the door Isaac had disappeared through only minutes earlier.
Slowly walking over to it, Mia could feel her heart beating faster, unsure if it was anticipation or nerves. Should I knock? She wondered, stopping in front of the door that would lead to the blonde adept on her mind.
Mia found herself spared from making that decision as footsteps approached from behind her and a voice called out. "Hey...what's going on here?" a guard asked as he approached where Mia was standing in front of Isaac's door. As the man approached, Mia recognized it as the same guard that helped her out earlier.
Evidently, the guard recognized her as well because he slowed down and softened his voice. "Oh it's you again miss," he said. "Something happen?" the guard inquired, trying to understand Mia's purpose outside Isaac's room.
"Oh...no, not really," Mia replied, unsure of what she should say about her wish to see Isaac again. "I was just going to see if he was still awake," she followed up, indicating Isaac's door next to them.
The guard glanced over at the door as well and shrugged. "We're supposed to make sure the contestants don't get disturbed before the tournament…" he stated almost as if speaking to himself.
Mia's heart sank a bit and wondered if maybe her expedition down the hall wasn't such a good idea after all. The guard looked back at Mia and just smiled. "I've seen this before though," he said thinking things over. "Wait...are you actually his wife or something?" the guard asked, somewhat surprised at his own conclusion.
Mia was taken aback by the surprise question. Wife?! Her mind asked. Mia felt her heart skip a beat, but her feelings were not to be denied and she answered before even thinking it through.
"I err….uh, yes," Mia answered, feeling her embarrassment grow with each passing second and she realized what it was she just said.
"Hah!" the guard let out a quiet laugh at the answer. "I knew it," he said. "I understand completely," he reassured Mia. Stepping up to the door the guard knocked and waited a moment before calling out. "Sir! Your wife came to see you," he said before turning back toward a mortified Mia and flashing a smile at her.
Oh Mercury….Oh Mercury…. Mia repeated in her mind after hearing what the guard said. What is Isaac going to think…. She briefly considered just running away and pretending the whole thing never happened, but that would defeat the purpose of her being there in the first place. Gulping silently, Mia settled in to see the consequences of her actions. How did it end up like this?
A few agonizing moments passed and the door was hesitantly opened from the inside. Getting a glimpse of Isaac, Mia felt her face flushed beet red, redder than it had ever been before. Isaac raised an eyebrow at the bashful looking girl as he entered the situation, but to his credit he managed to remain stoic throughout, only a slight coloration on his checks betraying his embarrassment as well.
"My wife huh?" Isaac asked looked between Mia and the guard, who nodded at the inquiry.
Is he actually doing that on purpose to tease me right now? Mia asked herself as her face got even redder, if that was possible. There's absolutely no way he doesn't know how embarrassed I am right now...though I do kind of deserve it, she admitted.
Turning back toward Mia, Isaac said, "Well come on in then." A thoroughly numb Mia found herself walking past Isaac and into his room. "Thank you," Isaac addressed the guard who bowed in silence before walking away as Isaac closed the door behind Mia.
Mia could feel Isaac's eyes from behind her, but she couldn't bring herself the face the boy she had wanted so desperately to see.
"So….wife?" Isaac asked as Mia felt her heart once again pounding in her chest. "I wasn't aware I was married…" the Venus adept trailed off, knowing it would prompt a reaction from Mia.
Turning around at last, the flustered Mia tried to explain. "That's not...I didn't mean-" she tried to say before Isaac held her up by hold his hand out to stop her.
With a laugh, Isaac said, "This is going to be good isn't it?" referring to Mia's explanation.
Blushing again, she tried to calm herself to little avail. "I might have spoken without thinking…?" Mia asked, her voice lowering as her statement went on. Isaac stayed quiet, knowing it wasn't something she was asking, but meant it more as an explanation. "I...I wanted to come see you," Mia explained truthfully. "The guard noticed and asked what was going on and thought that I was…" she trailed off. "...Well he thought I was your wife…" Mia added, struggling to get the word off her lips.
She was relieved as Isaac didn't press the point further, since she had conveniently omitted the part about her confirming her status as his wife.
Isaac walked over to his bed and sat on the edge of it before bringing his hand to his face and failing to hold back laughter again. "I had no idea what was happening Isaac said. I thought they had the wrong room or something at first but….you should have seen your face when I opened the door." Isaac shook his head and looked over at Mia, who had decided to avoid his gaze for the time being. "I didn't realize you could look that horrified," the blonde boy stated.
What should I say? What can I even say? Isaac is never going to let me live this down… Mia knew.
Picking up on Mia's state of anxiety over the situation, Isaac made an effort to be more serious despite maintaining an amused smile on his face. "Don't worry Mia," he said trying to reassure her. "That was pretty funny...but there must have been a reason you wanted to come over here...other than...you know...that," he said, unable to avoid one last poke at the situation.
Mia could still feel her heart beating fast and blood in her cheeks, but they were rapidly normalizing as she realized Isaac had a good sense of humor over what happened. "I...I just came to see you," she tried to explain even though her head still wasn't fully working properly again.
Isaac looked at her curiously, wondering why she had suddenly felt that way after being together just 20 minutes before. Giving up on holding her feelings back, Mia decided nothing more embarrassing could come out of the night. "I missed you," she added, speaking directly from the heart.
Whatever Isaac expected, it wasn't this. There was something different about they way Mia had said it so matter of factly that he hadn't seen from her.
"Mia…" he replied, unsure what to say himself.
Mia took the initiative again and built upon her previous statement. "I...feel better around you. I didn't feel like myself tonight and I wanted to see you again...just spend a little more time with you…" she paused. "It's comforting to be with you...and...and…" Mia found herself unable to continue.
Isaac's surprise registered on his face. Mia had never really opened up to him in this way before. Sure, she had looked to him for support and reassurance in the past, but that was different. Usually it would be something about their quest or the uncertainty of their future. Tonight she was here purely for comfort, and ISaac found himself at a loss.
Mia sniffed and felt her eyes beginning to tear up. Am I going to cry? But why…? She wondered. Not now...please no….
Isaac noticed as well and looked conflicted. "Mia…" he tried to say, but he realized words weren't going to cut it.
Mia tried to wipe the tears from her eyes before she truly ended up crying, but was interrupted as she felt a pair of arms envelop her in a gentle embrace. Surprised, Mia felt the tears recede as she looked up to see a hesitant looking Isaac holding her.
"It's okay Mia," he said in an effort to provide some of the comfort she was so desperately seeking. "Everything will be okay," Isaac tried to reassure Mia as the cerulean haired girl brought her eyes under control.
She was enjoying the embrace and found herself suddenly returning the hug with one of her own, pressing her head against Isaac and locking her hands behind the Venus adept's back.
This is it...this is what I mean… Mia thought, holding the embrace as if it was a delicate thing that would break with one false move. How does he have such a profound effect on my emotions? She asked.
"Hey Isaac…" Mia finally said, again giving into her heart's desire.
"Hmm?" Isaac murmured in reply, making no move to end the hug they were stuck in.
"I know this is selfish...but…" Mia started to ask. "Do you think….would it be possible for me to stay with you tonight?" She asked.
This time Isaac was able to reply without hesitation.
"Of course."
AN: I've been looking forward to writing this chapter since I got the idea for it so that's why it came out so soon after the last one. I've been liking how the story has been progressing so far and have some ideas for later on as well. I'll try to keep updating without gaps that are too long between chapters.
That said, I understand it's a break from the way the game goes at this point, but I never did much like the whole "invisible man in the cave" thing and decided to have the Colosso entry be by virtue of defeating the Kraken instead.