A huge thank you to my beta reader! They've been nothing but kind and helpful to my poor working habits.
—
The sound of a closing door, mechanical and fluid, is soon followed by footsteps. Four figures make their way to a desk, yet only three walk. Taking the lead is Kal'Tsit, followed by Amiya and Lappland. Emiya is also closely behind, yet not by his own means. He's perched comfortably upon Lappland's back. Well, as comfortable as he could get. A part of Lappland's clothing covers her neck in a circular guard, rendering the purchase of his chin onto her shoulder useless — lest he pierces his throat. Of course, there's room on the side. But in a literal sense, a stretch too far for his neck. Instead, he opted to prop himself up with his hands, wrapping them around Lappland's neck and resting his own head on hers. It would also provide a degree of control if she gets funny ideas.
"So...," came the drawn-out, neutral tone of Kal'Tsit in the progress of situating herself down, lowering onto the sizeable and possibly comfiest chair in the room. "Operator Lappland, could you tell us why you've never mentioned a brother?" She asked, her whole frame swallowed by the black leather of the chair. With a sitting position slightly slumped, the Feline's elbows snuggled the chair's armrest. Her forearms folded inward at an angle that allowed her fingertips to connect, her gaze firm.
She looked like quite the menacing couch potato. Well, chair.
The questioned Lupo locked eyes with the Feline for a second before gazing at her peripherals, looking upwards towards Emiya. With a shrug of her shoulders, she silently conveyed for the smaller Lupo to get down before she could divulge information.
A quick shake of the head met her shrug.
"Feeling's there; the movement's not caught up yet," he explained. It would sting if Lappland were to drop her grip on him since his legs fell asleep earlier.
"Sheesh, bro. Are you a jellyfish or a Lupo?" Lappland sighed dryly and provocatively, tilting her head downwards, only to feel an ache above moments later. "Fine, fine. On the count of three, then."
A grumbled agreement in reply.
"One, two, three!" She counted, a number announced at the interval of every second.
On the count of three, three seconds later, two arms spontaneously retreated from their coil around another's neck. With ease and efficiency, Emiya let go.
In the same breath, Lappland stepped, pivoted, and turned, quickly filling her arms with his presence in the form of a tight hug.
"And... there we go," commented the taller Lupo on a job well done, depositing the smaller onto a guest chair opposite Kal'Tsit.
"Thanks. I'll remember to decline the next time you offer a seat," the smaller Lupo deadpanned, using only his arms to get comfortable.
"Can't say the same about your cooking, lil' bro," she responded, offering him a look plastered with a grin, knowing it would appease his wrath somewhat. He only takes pride in a few things, after all.
Lappland's eyes then turned to meet the disguised eagerness of Kal'Tsit's. "So," she began, without further ado. "It all started when..."
—
"Phew. What a rundown place," spoke a happy-go-lucky voice wearing an all-too-familiar grin. Lappland surveyed the area, noticing multiple rubbles of collapsed houses and apartments. Lucky her, the place she was looking for was conveniently the only building still standing. It looked tattered, yet she had a feeling it would hold out long enough for her to find whatever she was here to look for.
Near the end of a mission in Saricusa, home of many Lupus and Volpoes, those possessing traits of wolves and foxes, she felt a sudden urge to visit a specific location. It was a place she hadn't seen since a decade ago, and she'd prefer it to stay that way, and yet, something was pulling her towards it. She may have been raised there for a couple years, yet it wasn't nostalgia or familial sentiment that brought her here. No, it was something substantial, more significant, far more than she could realize or comprehend.
Not that she'd care either way.
After a quick sniff of the air, she was soon on the move, legs skipping over the debris and rubble.
"Hopefully, you make it worth my while," she muttered, placing a hand on the front entrance doorknob. "I don't particularly have fond memories of this place." And with a murderous glint, she pulled.
The light of dawn illuminated through numerous cracks in the structure. It filled her eyes with the hues of a distant sunset. Faint orange and yellow washed over her gaze, particles dancing in the wind. She stood still in that narrow passage leading to the living room, captivated by the juxtaposed scenery. Tattered it may be, it's able to produce such a spectacle. Or maybe because it's broken, it can create something beautiful. A few steps took her further inside, the floorboards creaking under every pace.
Her strides rang hollow as light washed over her frame, eyes drawn to the crevices littering the ceiling and walls. Ruined furniture lay scattered against the edges, a sizeable and scarred couch momentarily catching interest before flickering to the heart of the matter. In the middle of the faintly illuminated room lay a cardboard box. Positioned not unlike a prize surrounded by literal garbage, for cardboard, it was in decent shape. Once more, her steps found a melodic rhythm, her foot drawing creaks of the floor and the scrunch of broken glass.
The box was plain, physically speaking, though she mentally noted the two peculiar holes on opposite ends of the rectangular object. On top was a small sheet of decorated white, positioned in the exact middle. Removing one of two blades on her hip, she measured it to be a true statement. After satisfying her hypothesis that whoever or whatever called her here had severe OCD, she set her blade aside for a moment to pick up the object.
Taking a knee, she reached with her left arm, her right clutching her sword. Her fingers soon found purchase, every finger except her thumb positioned underneath as she gripped the edges with her thumb, index, and middle.
Lappland has really nice hands.
"An envelope?" She couldn't help but voice the question, raising the content to the light filtering through the ceiling.
Loosening the grip on her right hand and settling the clutched blade on the ground, she maneuvered her free hand up to the envelope. Gripping the edges of the opening, she tore the envelope open with a rip to reveal another rectangular and white object. Taking the contents of the envelope out, she threw the container out before inspecting what felt like paper in her hand. It was a furled sheet of paper of three equal pieces compressed to fit the mold of the smaller envelope. After straightening the sheet to its entire length, her eyes were met with an array of letters.
"We may be gone, but you're not alone."
Short yet meaningful, a strange warmth filled Lappland's core.
"Not even a name, huh? Even Kal'Tsit isn't as stingy with information as you are," she quipped to the empty air.
"Well then. Let's open 'er up!" With a loud exclamation, she gripped the handle of her once-laying sword, standing to her full height and letting the letter fall to the side.
Taking a few steps to position herself on the longer side of the cardboard box, she swung with force, turning the equipped blade into a lethal pendulum. A clean cut was made, a straight horizontal line going down the middle of the box. She then sheathed the sword, bending her knees and peering at where she made the cut.
"What do we have here~" She whistled, hands digging into the opening and ripping it wide open.
A baffled gasp, then a choked cry.
"Oh..." Lappland sniffed, her left hand covering her mouth as she stared intently at the silver form inside the box.
"He," she slowly started, pressing herself closer to the box.
"He just like...!" She continued, incessantly wrapping her arms around the prone form. Once she had a firm grip, she lifted with all her might, holding a silver-haired Lupo in rags up to the ceiling.
"He just like me fr!" She finished, exclaiming their similarities for the world to see.
Just as she finished her proclamation, the smaller Lupo held in the air slowly peeled their eyes open. Silver, filled with confusion, met enthusiastic parallels alongside a toothy grin.
"Hey there, bro," the boy heard them reassure, pressing their slightly shaking body into a hug. "It's alright. Big sis, Lappy, has you now."
"Huh, what?"
—
Huh, what?
Kal'Tsit hid the confusion creeping up her face, opting to adopt a stern and analyzing expression to suppress her surprise. Her back straightened, shifting into a more dignified position as she scooched her chair closer. She then placed her elbows on the desk that separated them, interlocking her fingers as she held a firm gaze on Lappland.
"You found him in... a box, was it? And you have no qualms about the strange circumstances surrounding his placement and your strange intuition?" The Feline questioned. Really, it was too strange. Too coincidental to be a coincidence. It was a gift basket wrapped in a mystery called Emiya.
"I know, but he... — he's just like me fr!" Lappland smoothly exclaimed. "Besides, I couldn't leave him there regardless, with his pale, poor, adorable, and rags for clothing lonesome, could I?"
Emiya so wished a black hole would open under his feet.
Amiya nodded fervently at the last part. Whatever the circumstance, it's better that he's here, on the landship, especially since he's a kid.
"It's certainly a dangerous region, as of the whole world, for that matter," Kal'Tsit agreed. "And though I understand goodwill, your salary will, among other consequences, be deducted for out-of-line duty and failing to report in THREE months as an active Operator. Any problems?" She finished calmly with a raised brow, almost tauntingly in her own subtle way.
"No, Ma'am..." Lappland nervously chuckled. "No problems at all!"
"Good. Now, explain concisely and thoroughly why it took so long." The Feline added. This is more for the readers than herself.
"Well... The majority of our time together was spent tracking whoever customized my clothing. If he's just like me, he should dress like me," she explained, pointing to her jacket.
"Took a while due to the trainwreck of good ol' Siracusa, but as you can see, we finally found 'em. Just look at how stylish it is! My boy is dripped out of his mind!" She then gestured toward Emiya, who could be imagined as a smaller male version of Lappland if she wore proper leggings appropriate for a combat operative.
And truth be told, he did look good with the clothing. It fit his stature well and added a unique impression due to Emiya's serious and nonsensical behavior. Lappland would say it made him all the more marketable. To who, you ask? I'm not sure, either.
"...I see." Kal'Tsit did not, taking Lappland's explanation with a lethal dose of salt. "Amiya," she called to the standing Cautus, "please escort our guest to the cafeteria. I have some private things I'd like to discuss with Lappland regarding her assigned mission."
"Of course!" Amiya happily replied, hopping towards the sitting Lupo, Emiya. "Can you stand?" She politely asked upon nearing.
Emiya silently nodded, meeting the Cautus' gaze and then standing.
Amiya began walking, and he silently followed.
Midway to the door, his head turned, gaze landing on a whimpering Lappland, head hung low. A smirk immediately sat on Lupo's grinning face.
Well, she got what she deserved.
Next stop, the kitchen. Er- Cafeteria.
—
End of Chapter 2!
Wow. It's been a while, eh? Did you miss me?
Anyways. Please leave some reviews! Voice your thoughts. What did you enjoy, and what did you not?! Tell me what I can do to improve.
Also go easy on me... It's my first time after all!
As for an update schedule... well, you'll have to excuse me on that.
And last but not least, a comment from the beta reader:
"thanks for reading ! please continue to support the author, he is doing his best! 3"
I am in tears, thank you.
See ya next time!