Chapter 2: Fight!

Upon arriving in Windurst Woods, there was a crowd at the Auction House, like always. Rosette weaved her way through the sea of people till she reached one of the open windows. Browsing the items, she found she wasn't capable of affording any new armor or weapons so she decided to go with making things. She wanted so much to be able to make food; decent food for that matter. She leveled her skill as much as she could and as often as she could. Everyone was rather curious as to why Rosette all of a sudden cared about cooking. Like all of her reasons for trying new things was because she wanted to impress Kanza; but again she didn't tell anyone. The best thing she was capable of making was Boiled Crayfish, which in her opinion wasn't all that bad. First time sucked big time, but now, she was a real wiz at it. Buying the necessary items she needed to cook, she headed back to her home in Waters.

Walking through her front door she got a big whiff of something in her nose; the smell of her ass hole brother and his friends.

"Damn…why do they have to be here now!?" Rosette thought to herself as she quickly headed for the kitchen.

Trying not to make much noise so they wouldn't know she was home, she laid her ingredients down on the counter and started to wash her hands. Sadly Elvaan have a keen sense of hearing, so Linky heard her no doubt.

"Well well well, if it isn't the bitch," Linky said, heading into the kitchen. He leaned against the wall. "What are you making for us?"

"Nothing for you, jerk," Rosette answered back without any emotion.

Linky walked over to her. "I'm a jerk?"

Rosette turned and sarcastically smiled at him. "Yup that you are."

"Moo!!! Moo I say!!"

Rosette couldn't help but smile and laugh. Juzo, a good friend of her's too, walked into the kitchen being his random self.

"Do you like moo?" Rosette asked him jokingly.

"Yup! I like cheese too!" he said back. Juzo always found a way to make people laugh or smile. Not once had she seen him be serious.

Ignoring Linky altogether, Rosette went back to preparing her meal. Luckily her father being a fisherman brought home crayfish all the time (along with other fish), so Rosette didn't have to go out and buy that, but she did have to buy everything else. It didn't do much of a dent into her wallet though. She washed the fish and laid out everything she needed. Forgetting Linky and Juzo were standing there, she began to make her meal. But Linky realizing he had been forgotten, decided to be his normal self, and cause trouble.

"So, who are you making that for hm?" he asked her.

"None of your business…"

"What was that?"

"I said none of your damn business!" she yelled at him. "Geez get a clue!"

"It's for that Kanza guy."

Rosette turned to watch her brother, Beneamina (whom everyone just called Ben), walk into the kitchen. She glared at him.

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Hm…could it be because you're always with the guy?"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"MOO!" Juzo shouted. Everyone turned and faced Juzo. "What? I had to say something," he said shrugging. You couldn't help but love Juzo; he always found a way to make you smile.

Rosette then turned back to her work, and finished cutting up the fish, herbs, and anything else that would make it taste good.

"Would you three please leave? Weren't you planning on going somewhere today?" Rosette asked, not looking up.

Without saying a word (except Juzo who said Moo once more,) the three friends left the house, not even bothering to shut the door. Rosette wiped her hands on a towel and went to the front door.

"Try shutting it next time!" she yelled at them. As she watched them walk towards the West Sarutabaruta zone, she saw something that caught her eye; it was Kanza.

"Oh crap…" she thought.

Knowing what was coming next, she ran back inside, picked up a rolling pin used in cooking, and headed back outside. Not wanting to actually use the pin she stayed by the door and waited to see what would happen. Sure enough Ben and Linky being the idiots they were, saw Kanza and decided to…well be a pain.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't Kanza Okagu," Linky said in his normal, sly like voice.

"Good morning," Kanza replied as if nothing were wrong.

"So where are you of to?" Ben asked him.

"To see your sister."

"Quit hanging around her! You're annoying!" Ben yelled.

Rosette, being her hot headed self, ran over and clocked her brother on the back with the pin. Then she did the same when she saw Linky ball his fists up. They both fell with a thud.

"Hope that hurt!" she yelled at them. She turned and looked at Kanza, who's eyes were wide, looking from her to them then back to her. She hid the pin behind her back and smiled uneasily. "Heh heh…whoops."

Turning around, she headed back for her home. Before she had gotten even a few feet, she heard Kanza shout to her.

"Rosette! Behind you!"

When she turned, she saw her brother casting a spell on her. He, being a higher level than she, would beat her no doubt. Quickly using dodge, she was able to miss the attack.

"You are dearly going to pay for that knot you just gave us," her brother yelled.

Rosette watched as Linky got up slowly and walked next to Ben. She was outnumbered; 2 to 1. Juzo, being friends with both she and Ben, didn't get involved. Instead he backed away and stood a far distance from the fight.

"You guys know no fighting is allowed within the city! You also know you can't attack me except in Conflict! It isn't allowed!" she yelled at them, trying to wizzle her way out of her situation.

Linky shook his head. "No we aren't going to fight you with weapons and spells…" he walked up to her and looked down at her. Being an Elvaan and all, they always thought they were better than any other races. Before she knew what had hit her (literally) she fell to the ground with a thud. Rubbing the side of her face, she realized Linky had punched her.

"What was that for!?" she shrieked.

"You deserved it."

Again before she knew what was going on, she was pulled to her feet than hit again. This time she fell on her face. Not wanting to get up, she laid limp.

"Is that all you've got?" Linky asked her. "Is it!?"

"Leave her alone!"

Rosette turned her head slightly to see Kanza's face red with furry.

"Don't touch her!" he yelled.

Rosette watched as her brother went after Kanza.

"Kanza! Look out for my brother!" she yelped as Linky kicked her.

Kanza, with his reflexes, pulled out his staff, and whacked Ben in the arm. He then ran over and hit Linky in the back. Quickly picking up Rosette, he helped her run back to her home, where they went inside and locked the door behind them. Rosette, a little shocked, just stood with her back to the door for the longest time. Kanza kept waving his hand in front of her face.

"Yoo-hoo!! Rosette? You alive?"

"Huh what? Oh…sorry…just not with it…"

"Maybe you should sit down…"

Rosette smiled at him. "No no I'm fine."

Kanza looked at her, worriedly for a few minutes then shifted gears when Rosette's cooking filled the room.

"What is that good smell?" he asked.

Rosette's ears perked up. "Oh no!" she yelled as she ran into the kitchen quickly. Kanza started to come in, but Rosette pushed him out. "Not yet! Wait until it's done!"

"Um…ok…" he said a bit confused.

"Go sit in the living room. I'll be done in a few." And with that she turned her tail and went back into the kitchen. Kanza shrugged and sat down on one of the sofa's in her living room like she had told him to.

"God Ben and Linky can be such jerks!" Rosette thought as she rubbed her face where Linky had hit her.

She continued to boil the crayfish until she thought it looked done. Letting it cool off, she took off her apron and went into the living room with Kanza.

"How are you? You didn't get hit did you?" Rosette asked him.

"Nah I'm fine. What about you? Linky hit you pretty badly…" he said as he touched her face where she had been hit.

Rosette winced a bit when he touched her. "I-It's fine…nothing to worry about."

"You might want to get some ice on that…here…let's go get you some," he said as he started to get up, but Rose pushed him gently back down.

"N-No! I'm really ok," she said with a smile.

"Alright…if you're so sure…"

"Yup…be right back!" she said as she ran back into the kitchen. "Damn I'm such a dork…" she thought as she tested the crayfish. All she had to do sniff it to see if it was done, seeing as she was a cat; a cat's nose never lies. She smiled and called to Kanza. "Hey Kanza? Would you come here?"

Within a few seconds, Kanza popped into the kitchen with a smile. "Yeah? Whatcha need?"

"Taste this," she said as she put some of the fish on a plate. "Please?"

Kanza sat down at her wooden kitchen table and looked at the fish. "You didn't like…poison this did you?" he asked jokingly.

Rosette laughed. "No way! Just try it. I know my cooking sucks but just try it…for me?"

Kanza then dug in and ate some of the fish. "Not bad, Rose. Not bad at all."

Rose clapped her hands and smiled joyfully. Everyone had known Rose to be a bad cook so she started practicing her skills. Her mom, who worked at the Cullinarians' Guild, taught Rosette (or at least tried to) how to cook food properly. Sadly, Rosette was only capable of making worthwhile food 30 of the time.

When Kanza had had enough to eat, they decided to go outside. Checking to make sure Ben and Linky were gone, they walked out of the house; Rosette shut the door behind them and locked it tight.

"I wonder if Ben has a key to let him in…" she thought to herself as she pulled the door tight. "Oh well…not my fault if he doesn't."

The two of them walked off in silence until they had left the city of Windurst and were outside in Sarutabaruta. Rosette stretched and smiled as the sun was setting every so slightly. This was always her favorite time of day; it was so peaceful.

"Um…Rose?"

Rosette turned in mid stretch to look at Kanza. "Yes what is it?"

"I…have something to tell you…"

Rosette cocked her head like a puppy would in confusion. "What?"

Kanza's face started to turn a bright red as he looked down at his feet. "Well, it's something I feel…"

Rose's tail flickered as did her ears when he said this. "Go on…"

"Ever since I met you, we've been really good friends, right? Well…lately I've been feeling something different when I'm around you… Rosette…I…"