Characters: Laurence, Gehrman, Maria, Rom
Word Count: 4.328
Summary: With both Gehrman and Micolash not being available for a delve, Laurence joins Maria and Rom. He doesn't know that he is about to learn something rather fascinating.
(Author's note: Child Laurence can be really oblivious about a lot of stuff, so bear with him, please ^^ In this chapter, there are some more Bloodborne references. A lot of the Abyss creatures I make up though, because canon doesn't give us much and there live so many creatures even just in the First Layer. I really would love to have an encyclopedia about all Abyss creatures.)
After Gehrman had shown Laurence the weapons, Laurence didn't manage to settle down. He kept thinking about Gehrman's design and what he could do with proper materials. At the same time, he thought about what kind of weapon he would like to have.
It didn't let him rest, so Laurence stood up from his bed to open his little notebook. His pen danced over the pages as he let the vision that had formed in front of his inner eye take form. When he was finished, he looked at it and still felt far too restless. Sleep would continue to elude him, he knew it.
He needed to show this to Gehrman! Who cares that it was already bed time, he knew that Gehrman would still be up and he very much knew how to avoid Master Willem or any of the other Moon Whistle's who looked after them.
Laurence easily sneaked out of his room and entered Gehrman's room, who was busy reading a book, only lowering it when he saw Laurence enter. He sighed: "Bad dreams, Laurence?"
"No, this time I couldn't sleep for another reason.", Laurence said, the excitement apparent in his voice. Gehrman looked at him with suspicion, before laying his book to the side.
"Am I going to regret this?"
"You could have a little more trust in me, you know.", Laurence grumbled and then opened up his notebook, flipping to the page where he had drawn out his desired weapon. "I had some... ideas and I just needed to share them with you right away!"
"Shhh, don't speak so loud, Laurence, or do you want to get punished again? The last time you sneaked out you had to wash the dishes for a whole month.", Gehrman said, making a little room on the bed so that Laurence could sit down. Then, he looked at the design. He frowned after he studied it for around a minute and then looked at Laurence, who sat on his knees and was barely able to stop bouncing up and down.
"So, what do you think...?", Laurence asked.
"Laurence... I have to admire you for your creativity, but at the same time... how do you think I should build this with the materials I have?! It's a cane that turns into a whip... with blades in the whip? There is no way that I can make this without having to buy or forage proper materials and you know very well, as Red Whistles, we-"
"I know, I know.", Laurence interrupted Gehrman, "It's for the future. When one day, we are Moon Whistles and can afford this stuff, will you build it for me?"
"It's rude to interrupt others, Laurence.", Gehrman said and then looked at the design again. "Hmm... it's certainly a challenge. I like it. But just know, I will charge you a hefty sum for this, should I ever make it."
Laurence gasped in fake shock: "You would take money from your trusted friend?"
They two boys looked at each other and then chuckled.
"Enough of that, rather tell me how you want your rice for next week. I would like to plan ahead."
"Hmmm. As omelette.", Laurence said. He had gotten rather fond of this dish lately and often requested it on the day of delving.
"Noted.", Gehrman said, "Also, make sure to gather your team soon, I promised Master Willem to look after the Bells next time and I am pretty sure that Micolash is banned from delving after today's incident..."
"Oh crap.", Laurence was so taken aback, that he didn't notice the concerned stare from Gehrman at his swearing. Even though Gehrman was used to it. Laurence was so used to delve with Gehrman and Micolash, that he didn't even think about what to do if they weren't available.
"You have enough time to find companions, it's a whole week.", Gehrman said, picking up his book again. "Do you want to get back to your room or stay here?"
"I will go back to my room.", Laurence said, thinking about his options. There were a lot of Red Whistles in the orphanage of course, but he didn't manage to befriend them all. It made him feel a bit awkward.
"Good night then.", Gehrman waved to him and Laurence did the same before sneaking back to his room, lying down onto the bed and considering with whom he could delve.
There were two boys named Simon and Brador, but they seemed to have some kind of personal rivalry going on, so he never tried to intermingle and never asked them to delve with them. Then there was Djura, who was around one year older and managed to sneak in stray dogs for probably the twelfth time already. He smelled a bit too much like wet dogs and Laurence preferred cats... Who else was there? Eileen, the crow girl. Well... she actually was a bit creepy, often wearing a mask and surrounding herself with crows. Another person he didn't want to ask. Who was left then?
"Maria and Rom...", he murmured. They had often delved in groups, but he never had delved with just the girls alone. It probably wouldn't hurt to ask. Laurence decided to see if they would have room for him the next morning, and after he settled on this thought, sleep finally came to him.
"You want to delve with us? Yeah, we still have room.", Maria said once Laurence told her his request. Then, she just went back to sharpening her knife.
"Oh, that will be fun.", Rom chimed in. "We haven't been able to delve on our own yet. We always were with Micolash and Gehrman."
"You like Micolash, Rom.", Maria said, still in a very neutral tone, not even looking up from her knife sharpening. Rom let out a shriek and hid her blushing face in her hands.
"Wait, what? That gremlin?", Laurence heard himself speak. He barely had thought about entering a relationship with anybody, that a girl could like Micolash went over his head.
"I know, right?", Maria added and Rom put her hands down, glaring at the both of them. "He's not that bad!"
"Nah, he isn't.", Laurence agreed, "Just... weird. He says stuff that leaves me puzzled for days. And yesterday he ate two dozen glow berries and got the runs."
Rom was just staring at him. "Oh, is that why he had to go to the hospital? Gehrman told me he got injured."
"What? It was me who got injured.", Laurence rolled back his sleeve and showed his bandage, "When I organized medicine for him. It was quite scary."
"Huh, that means Micolash likes you as well, Rom, isn't that nice?", Maria said. All the time, she never looked at one of them, all focussed on the task at hand. Rom simply blushed again, hiding her face behind her hands another time.
"Huh, why do you say that?", Laurence was rather confused. Why was Micolash so blatantly lying and why was Gehrman even covering up for him?
"How oblivious are you, Laurence?", Maria sighed, "Here you are, spouting out curse after curse, probably not knowing what they even mean and then you don't get that a boy not wanting to admit he got the runs to a girl means something. You probably have never thought about kissing someone you like."
"I am eleven.", Laurence crossed his arms, "And so are you. Stop acting all high and mighty. I guess you haven't kissed anyone either."
Maria finally stopped sharpening her knife and looked at him. "We could change that right now...", she said and then looked Laurence over, frowning. "Nah, better not.", she said, "Knowing you, you would take it the wrong way. Rom, if you kiss Micolash, you can tell me how it was."
Maria then left the room and left Rom and Laurence standing. "Did... did she just reject me?", he said to Rom, still not processing the whole conversation. The girls apparently talked about things a lot more different than he was used to when alone.
"I won't let her get away with this.", Rom said and then turned to Laurence. "She likes Gehrman.", she said and then left again, just leaving Laurence standing, processing the new information, before blurting out a "WHAT?"
Laurence soon enough forgot about the incident and the day of delving was upon them. As predicted, Micolash had really been banned from delving and sat at the table with a face full of disdain while Gehrman prepared the rice dishes for everyone who would delve today. Laurence was already in his delver gear and sat down next to Maria and Rom.
"Morning Laurence.", Rom said with a smile. She had her long hair that she normally wore loose, tied into twin tails.
"Morning.", Maria said, her hair was in the usual ponytail. She always wore it in a way that wearing the helmet wasn't a problem. Laurence' own curly hair was loose as usual, but he didn't wear the helmet yet. He never put it on until the last minute.
"Good morning.", he said and sat himself down. "How are you getting your rice? I am getting rice omelette."
"Risotto.", Rom answered first, "We don't have many crops in Orth, but the few we have are worth it."
"Herbal rice soup.", Maria said, "The herbs from the Abyss are delicious. You should try it next time. Healthy too."
"Hmm... I think I want to have something more hearty.", Laurence admitted. Not that the herbs of the Abyss weren't tasty, but he really had a taste for more savoury food and he rather enjoyed the texture of omelette as opposed to the more liquid soup.
The food was soon done and once they ate, Micolash joined them, looking wistfully at their rice dishes. "Hey, get some relics for me too when you are down there.", he said, "I am not only stuck up here, Master Willem also makes me rake up all the leaves."
"Be sure to look for any fallen fruits or nuts.", Laurence just said, while Rom nodded to Micolash and the two then fell into a loose conversation. Maria stayed quiet as usual. She never had been much for words. Well, compared to Laurence, everyone talked less, but Maria always preferred to stay quiet in a large group, only talking when being asked a question.
It wasn't like Laurence minded anyway. He was rather happy when people listened to his ramblings. For him, having more quiet people around was perfect. Though, he wondered how today's delve would be, because normally Micolash or Gehrman would be with him and talk back to him. He wondered if he would be the only one doing the talking this time?
After they all had eaten, they had to take a mandatory break for thirty minutes and a bathroom break before leaving, then they met up at the edge of the Abyss with Master Willem and the other Red Whistles who would delve today. Laurence waited until his name was called and then stepped forward with his team.
"Laurence, Maria and Rom, you are going to delve together today?", Master Willem asked and the three of them nodded. "Then please search for relics in 500 metre depths."
Laurence groaned when he heard it. That meant they had to take the elevator that led down600 metres and then go up. Unfortunately, the elevator wasn't able to stop on the way.
"Guess we are getting a dose of the curse right at the beginning.", he murmured.
"Keep your head steady. Look at a clear focus point. Massage your temples. Makes the nausea go away.", Maria said.
"I know, I am still not happy about it.", Laurence sighed and Rom chuckled a little.
"If you puke, I'll hold your hair.", she offered. Laurence gave her a tiny glare, knowing that she was making a little fun of him, though he had the feeling she would really help him out. Rom was pretty much the nicest girl in the orphanage.
"Thanks Rom.", he said and finally put on his helmet while they walked to the elevator, "I'll do the same for you."
"Bold of you to assume I would puke.", Rom replied, her face split into a big grin, leaving Laurence standing baffled about her confidence, so that he had to run to catch up to the girls before the elevator would went off.
On the ride down they talked a bit more, mostly about which area they would delve today. They were on their own, so they had to avoid the big predators. Laurence had a pretty good mind map of the first thousand metres already and mapped out a route for them to take, where they still could find some relics, or valuable trash, like Gehrman liked to call it. Also, there was the possibility of finding something valuable once in a while. While they weren't allowed to keep it, finding a valuable relic would get them a bonus from the guild and they were allowed to keep a share of the bonus.
It didn't take long for the elevator to arrive at the 600 metre mark. Laurence, like always, needed some time for his little ritual. As he stood with his hand against the wall, resonating with the Abyss and asking his parents for protection, the rest of the delvers on the elevator left and all spread into the Abyss, leaving only Maria and Rom waiting for him. Once he was done, the trio of children went on the ascent to reach their assigned destination. Gladly, Laurence managed to keep his breakfast down over the 100 whole metres, as did Rom and Maria. All of them breathed heavily and looked a bit paler once they arrived at their destination though.
"We should probably take a short break before we start.", Rom offered.
"Good idea.", Laurence agreed and Maria nodded. They found a rock formation where they could hide behind and sat down, taking deep breaths. "To think that the curse in the lower layers is far worse...", he murmured, massaging his temples. The nausea mostly came from the headache and the dizziness, once someone learned how to work around it, puking from the curse of the first layer practically never happened anymore.
"We are still children, don't forget that.", Rom murmured, "We are affected more by the curse because we are still growing. It will be easier should we grow up."
"Yeah...", Laurence said, looking at Maria, who had been quiet so far. She seemed to be the most composed of them, barely showing any sign of the curse and her vigilant eyes already scanned the area.
"You are really tough, Maria.", Laurence said, "It appears the curse barely bothered you."
"I had to be.", was all that Maria replied and when he made eye contact with Rom, she simply shrugged at him. It seemed like she wasn't any smarter than him.
Laurence looked at the scenery of the Abyss while he recovered. It didn't stop to be beautiful. The lush environment, the sharp, but beautiful rock formations, he could see lilac flowers in the distance and the sound of rushing water implied that the underground river was near. Along with his ritual of bonding with the Abyss, Laurence felt like he was in tune, almost closing his eyes and just letting himself carried away from the noises and scents.
He was brought out of it by Rom's voice chiming through the air: "Hey Laurence, come over here, look."
With his resonation being gone, and curious what Rom had found, Laurence stood up and walked over to her, scanning the ground she was pointing at. He soon saw what she was so excited about.
"A crystal butterfly caterpillar.", she said, pointing at the fat thing that glistened in the light, with its almost see-through exoskeleton.
"Those are so useful when you try to catch demon fish.", Laurence said, knowing from experience that the most common Abyss fish loved everything shiny.
Rom frowned at him for about a second before her attention was caught by another insect that fluttered in front of her. "Green Mirror Butterfly.", she said. Laurence followed her gaze to look at the butterflies, who had perfected their mimicry so much that they basically were invisible when they rested in vegetation.
"Perfect if you try to catch salmon. Of course only when it's the right season.", Laurence said.
Rom suddenly stood up and tiptoed over to a certain rock, which was illuminated from the sun that managed to filter through the forcefield. "And look, here are dagger mantis.", she said, pointing at the insects who bathed in the warmth.
"I wonder if I would catch something else than sardines during shore fishing when I would manage to get my hands on one of them?", Laurence said to himself aloud. He had tried already, but like their name said, dagger mantis had razor sharp claws and he actually had managed to get quite a cut when he had first tried.
"And here are Abyss dragonflies!", Rom looked into the air, where the most common dragonfly species of the Abyss was present, hence the name.
"Ah, I managed to catch a big bass with one of them once.", Laurence said, remembering that he had been pretty proud of that catch.
"Laurence, why is your first reaction to every bug I show you to use them as bait?", Rom had her hands in her hips, her face a full frown, ready for a fight. Laurence wasn't taken aback though.
"Well, excuse me for being the best angler in the orphanage!", he said, crossing his arms.
"That's not what I am talking about.", Rom argued and before Laurence noticed it, they kept walking while discussing if the use or the aesthetics of insects were more important. He didn't even hear when Maria called out to them to not wander off.
"I am just looking at this from an angle of a person who has to provide food.", Laurence argued with Rom, "It's useful to know which fish to catch with which bait."
"While that might be true, I just wanted to admire them with you.", Rom said, "Don't you notice that you are kind of insensitive when you do that, Laurence?"
"What, you would prefer to starve?", Laurence replied, still not getting Rom's point. She was getting more and more frustrated with him and stomped her feet.
"Can you STOP being so oblivious to everything?"
"Oblivious of what? That you rather stare at bugs instead of thinking how to use them?", Laurence said, but before Rom could reply anything to him, Maria suddenly called.
"You two, watch out!"
The next thing Laurence knew was that Maria jumped over them, a knife in each of her hands and precisely stabbing two lizards that had been about to attack them.
"Needle lizards.", Maria said as she casually removed the first knight out of the corpses, "While they don't have deadly poison, their teeth are as sharp as needles, hence the name, and when they attack in multiple numbers, like this, they can easily overpower a child and make them their prey."
"Th-thank you, Maria.", Rom said, clearly perplexed. Laurence, on the other hand, nearly couldn't believe what he just had seen.
"Maria, what the FUCK?!", he blurted out, his affinity for swearing coming back full force. "This was FUCKING AWESOME! Where did you learn shit like that?! We sure don't learn in the orphanage and if and nobody ever told me, I swear to the Abyss, that-"
"Stop screaming like that.", Maria shot Laurence a death glare which instantly shut him up. "I will answer your question, but not here. You and Rom, help me secure the needle lizards, we can bring them back to the orphanage."
"I think I never tried them before, I hope they are tasty.", Laurence said as he picked up one of the corpses, wrinkling his nose when blood streamed over his hands. "Ew."
"It feels like they should bleed out first.", Rom said, having put off picking up the prey once she saw what happened to Laurence' hands.
"Well, nice, let me be the test subject.", Laurence grumbled and wiped his hands with a handkerchief.
"Quiet, you two.", Maria said, "Sometimes I can't believe I am actually the youngest of all of us."
"Wait, you are?", Laurence said, staring at her, "I always thought you were our age. Or even older."
"Well, I am eleven like you, but I actually was born the last of all of us.", Maria said, "Let's wait for the lizards to bleed out and then move to a safe spot."
Once the lizards were bled out, the three of them found themselves in a safe spot not far from where they had arrived. "Alright, Maria, I am ready to listen now.", Laurence said, "I want to know why you can fight with freaking knives."
"Me too.", Rom said, barely able to hold back her excitement.
"You two... you know how you landed in the orphanage, right?", Maria started.
"Yes, my parents were delvers and died and then I was brought there. You all were already there, there is nothing special about my story and I am not here to get teased again because I cried for three hours in Gehrman's chest.", Laurence was the first to answer.
"I was a foundling.", Rom said, "I was just put in front of the orphanage. I always assumed that whoever had me, was a delver who didn't want to deal with having to raise a kid. It isn't... it isn't even seen as a good thing here anyway, so I understand."
"I know...", Laurence said, thinking about all the times he had heard people talk shit about his parents because they had him. In Orth, it was unreasonable for a delver to have a kid and wanting to raise it as their own. Almost every child got dumped into the orphanage where they were raised into delvers, continuing the cycle.
"It means both of you were born in Orth.", Maria finally picked up the word, "I am not. I was born in a different country."
"You weren't? I had no clue!", Laurence gasped. Even Rom looked a bit shocked.
"Haven't you seen how different I look? My skin is white as snow and my hair is almost as pale.", Maria said.
"So? My skin is brown. And Laurence' hair is red. We are all looking unusual.", Rom said with a shrug.
"It's auburn.", Laurence hissed, but then put his attention to Maria again.
"Yes, but there is nobody who even looks remotely like me. I have come here by boat when I was six years old. I was with my aunt. She heard about the riches of the Abyss and wanted to claim them for herself."
"I think I know how this ends...", Laurence murmured. It happened often. Foreigners who challenged the Abyss. Pretty much all of them either were swallowed by it or found by Orth delvers. Orth wasn't fond of illegal delvers. There was a heavy punishment for it...
"Yes, of course. They never returned. They left me in an inn in Orth and told me they would get me once they had finished scouting the area. After two months had passed, the owners of the inn moved me into Balchero. It was the last time I have seen my aunt and her entourage."
"Entourage? That sounds like your aunt was an important person in your home country.", Rom said.
"She was the queen.", Maria said, as casually as if she had just talked about the weather.
"The QUEEN?!", Laurence and Rom pretty much screamed in unison, earning another death glare from Maria.
"So you are a noble?", Rom whispered.
"Was. I am not affiliated with them anymore. I didn't even like it very much... I haven't even told you yet why I can fight and it is because my aunt trained me since I can remember. I think I got handed a weapon once I figured out how to walk and talk. I was trained every day, without mercy. While I couldn't keep the weapons I once had, I continued my training with the delver knife and... that is why I can fight with them. That's all."
"Maria, you were hiding such a fucking interesting backstory and none of us knew?", Laurence said, seeing her in another light now.
"None of you ever asked.", Maria replied.
"That isn't the point.", Rom said and when Maria shot her a questioning look, Laurence suddenly got it.
"Oh, that is what you meant with being oblivious!"
"What?! While I am glad that you finally got it, Laurence, who else have you told about this?", Rom asked.
"Only the two of you.", Maria said. "Why?"
"Why? Because I want to ask you to train me.", Rom shot up, "I would feel so much safer in the Abyss when I knew how to defend myself."
While Rom bargained with Maria, Laurence' mind went to something entirely different. The conversation he did have with Gehrman last week.
"Maria, you said your weapons were taken away?", he asked to confirm his line of thoughts.
"Yes, why?", Maria asked.
"Because... because I think you should see Gehrman.", he said, "I think you would very much like what he'll show you."
(Author's note: Yes, Maria's aunt is of course Annalise and she came from an island named Cainhurst. Annalise and all her knights went into the Abyss and never came back. If they were curb stomped by it or Orth delvers found them, I'll leave that up to you.
I am about to end the Red Whistle arc, I probably only have one chapter left, but it also could be that I need a bit longer between updates. I have two longfics for different fandoms going on that are in the last stretches and might want to focus on them for a while. Also, I haven't planned out the Blue Whistle Arc too much yet. I more have a sequence of events I want to happen, but nothing more. Please be patient with me.)
