The Demon's Humble Abode
"My place," Silver answered Serenity, ignoring Tallulah's reproach. "There we can rest and plan what to do next... and I can get rid of these clothes... the Yevon dogs keep looking at me like if I was something worst than Sin." He started walking, growling angrily at any Yevon guard that attempted to raise his gun against him.
Away from the dock and right across the river into a small cabin near the jungle, there was Silver's little home. Two story hut, a small table and kitchen on the first floor. Upstairs was Silver's bedroom and a small bathroom. It wasn't much but enough for a single Tiger Demon. He dropped Tallulah's bag on a couch near the kitchen and collapsed on it. "Make yourselves at home, welcome to the Lair of a Blitzer." He wasn't kidding, blitzball items all around, along with many decorative daggers and swords hanging from the walls.
…
Lhinx looked around.
(Lian and Ayde told me of this town. They said it was a nice place to live, but onto more important business.)
"New Yevon here. May be trouble at Temple. We should go to Temple." The Ronso said. "When more guards, day or night?"
(Zephyr and Calix went on ahead, I hope they're okay...) Lhinx thought.
…
Zephyr tired of her position as stalker, and sprinted up behind Calix. She ran right past him, then turned on her heel and stopped him in his tracks.
"Where did you think you were going without telling anyone?" she asked testily, barrels of her gun glinting in the canopy-filtered sunlight. "I don't like babysitting you, Calix. This place is swarmed with Yevonites, and quite frankly, they're not bound to like you." She blinked her eyes once, but that blink conveyed quite a lot more than words could. They don't like me, either. They didn't like him, is why. They just see a reflection of him in me - which is fine, because it gives them a reason to back the hell off.
Let me come with you, said the blink. Maybe together we can get to the bottom of this mess.
…
Serenity looked around Silver's home, picking up and observing a blitzball item or two and looked at the decorative daggers and swords. "Wow, my dad would love to visit this house…" Serenity said, mostly to herself, though loud enough for any of the others to hear. Serenity carefully placed her bag by the stairs and turned towards Silver.
"Do you have any orange juice?" She asked, then thought for a moment before speaking again. "And a bathroom. For after the orange juice." She bit her bottom lip to stop from laughing again, and at herself no less, and shrugged sheepishly. "Oh, and a vase and some water for the pretty flowers here," Serenity said lastly, taking the time now to smell its fragrance.
…
"I would really love for you to come with me... but I don't really appreciate your rudeness, and besides, you don't know me, or what I'm like. We have known each other for maybe two days, what gives you the idea that I need to report to you all the time??" Calix stated as his staff extended slowly as he concentrated on that fact.
…
Silver smiled and took off his vest before standing up and going into the kitchen to get Serenity some juice and water for the flowers. "You can all come once we find your parents, as I said I would love a match against your father." He smiled kindly at Serenity as he took his vest up from the wooden floor. "The bathroom is this way," Silver said, walking upstairs to his bedroom, where there could be found even more swords and blitzball stuff. He took off the scarf and then put the gunblade aside, then sat on his bed. "Home at last..."
…
"Calix and Zephyr gone ahead. Temple guards will be problem," Lhinx said. Lhinx hated just standing around, but the thought of the fire temple kept scaring her bit by bit. Zephyr knew of her weakness, most likely why she did not bring her along.
(Going at night my be best. Less guards then and I can move around more easily. Perfect. Or will it be too late. I need to see the temple for myself. I want to find out what this ring is for.) The Ronso struggled with her thoughts, wanting to go, but not wanting to leave anyone behind.
…
Serenity placed the flowers in the water Silver had given, and placed it by the windowsill. As she took a sip from her juice, she looked at Lhinx. "Oh, had I missed Calix again? And Zephyr, too?" She asked, though not expecting a response for Lhinx had already said they gone ahead. "I hope they'll be all right. I guess this means we'll have to cut resting time short to go after them, then? Or should we wait for nightfall?"
Finishing the drink, she placed the glass in the sink and bowed politely as she left to go use the bathroom. As she reached the upper floor, Serenity found Silver sitting on his head. "Home sweet home, huh?" She asked, smiling sweetly at him. "Which way was the bathroom again?" Serenity pointed towards the other door questionably, though making her way towards it nevertheless.
"I haven't been here for a long time. But my neighbor keeps this place for me." Silver smiled and pointed to the other door next to the one Serenity was walking to. "That one is my closet, the bathroom is the other door," he said, almost laughing. "I'll get changed in the mean time."
…
"You're being a dumbass, that's why," Zephyr said simply, not insultingly. It was just a fact, in her mind. "I don't care how fast you are or how strong or smart or well-equipped you are, you can't take on every challenge this forest and the temple have to offer alone." Zephyr put one hand on her hip, the other still holding her gun to her right shoulder. "Together, we might have half a chance. That's why I followed you. We're probably worrying the hell out of the others, but I'm doing this so you won't get killed. . . just like I saved your sorry ass before, Calix," she added ruefully. "Show a little appreciation to the woman who saved your life, at great personal risk to herself, I might add. . . eh?"
…
Serenity quickly changed her course and made a beeline toward the other door beside it. "Right, I knew that," Serenity looked back at him, smiling embarrassingly, then closed the door behind her. Serenity looked at the mirror first, lightly holding her hand around the golden bullet he had given her. She smiled, then went along on other business.
Once Serenity was inside the bathroom Silver walked to his closet and took out new pants and a leather vest just like the one he had on. Black boots and a new gloves to conceal his claws. He took off his belt and let his pants fall, taking them off along with the old travel boots. He went to another door inside the same closet and took out clean underwear. With that he took off his red boxers and threw them aside along with the old clothing.
…
"I didn't need your help, lady Shiva would have protected me, you silly girl," Calix stated with a hostile tone, but he was to confused to know what he really meant by it. "If you insist on following me around, lets get going".
Zephyr blinked, vaguely remembering a tattoo on Calix's back that she had seen when. . . well. . . yeah. She'd seen the tattoo, is the point. A huge, intricate image of the Lady Shiva. . .
"I wonder. . ." she said under her breath before shaking her head. A slight breeze stirred as her bangs fell into her eyes, and subsided when she pushed them behind her ears.
"Um, yeah," she agreed hastily. "Whatever. Let's just get moving." The halfling continued walking along the forest path, on the alert for Yevonites or for monsters.
…
Serenity flushed the toilet with her elbow, in case Silver was one of those bacteria and the like phobic, and carefully turned the knobs of the sink with both elbows, though it all seemed a bit much. While washing her hands she looked out the window, taking in the Kilika limelight. When she was finished, she closed the tap and looked about the bathroom for a towel to wipe her hands. With all that done, Serenity opened the door and hoped Silver had finished dressing.
Silver jumped back behind the bed when he saw Serenity walking out of the bathroom, blushing in extreme. "Ahh!" He covered his nakedness with his hands, not having his clothing near. "Se... Se... Serenity..." He was real nervous, never been caught naked by anyone.
... Besides Tallulah...
Serenity's eyes widened and she screamed in total surprise, turning around as quickly as her body able her to, turning so red it looked as if she had just gotten sunburned. She closed her eyes tightly and put one hand up to the side of her face to act as blinders. "Oh my…Silver I…am so, so sorry!" She held out her other hand to act as her guide out of the room, for she wasn't going to open her eyes until she was safely down the stairs.
"I should have asked if you were ready first!" Serenity tripped over something on the floor, and fell roughly, but was determined to keep her eyes closed and ignore the shooting pain she felt. "I—I'll just be going…now…" She said, deciding to crawl the rest of the way out instead of risking tripping over something else again, though knowing she could easily bump into something else while crawling around blindly.
Silver quickly went and grab his new boxers and put them on, then ran towards Serenity and help her up. "It's ok now," he said, smiling but still blushing like mad. "I'm the one who should be sorry... I was the one who shouldn't be stripping like that... just that... I haven't been home so long..." he laughed nervously.
Serenity kept her eyes closed until she felt that he really had something on. "It's okay now," she heard him say, and Serenity held her breath as she slowly opened her eyes, coming upon his blushing face. She laughed just as nervously as well, feeling that her face was still so hot you could have fried eggs on it.
"No, really, I take all the blame. I…really…it's your own house so…" She squeezed his bare arms lightly then pulled away, slowly walking backwards towards the door. "I think I'll…wait downstairs…with the others…" She said slowly as she walked, then nodded and turned around, quickly going down the stairs.
Silver, still blushing like mad, laughed softly and shook his head. He walked back to where his clothes were and put them on. First his pants, then his belt, vest and gloves and finally his boots and scarf. He picked up his old clothing and threw it inside a small box. After than he walked again to his closet and took out some clean clothing for the journey, putting it inside a black leather backpack. Along with it some more bullets for his gunblade and his mask.
He took a dagger from his wall and put it on the right side of his belt, then his gunblade on the left side and finally picked his blitzball. Silver walked down, now feeling a lot better with clean clothing and prepared with everything he packed. "Well, now we can leave whenever you want," he said, still blushing but smiling.
…
Lhinx had heard the shrill scream, instantly grabbing her poleaxe.
(What the-) Lhinx then watched a very embarrassed gunner walk down the stairs toward them.
Lhinx shook her head.
"What now?" Lhinx asked.
(Great, leave 'em alone for a few minutes...) The Ronso thought, almost laughing at poor Serenity.
"We should leave soon. Less screaming outside." Lhinx said bluntly.
Serenity smiled sheepishly at Lhinx, not really wanting to discuss what she just saw and nodded, going into the kitchen to lightly splash her face with cold water as Silver came downstairs. "I'm ready to go whenever you guys are!" Serenity called from the kitchen.
"Well, night isn't coming soon but right now it's our best shot. Yevon is confused and we've got both Lady Serenity and Lady Tallulah," Silver said, walking towards the door. "Though I think all of us going will be useless, we need some to gather what we need for the journey. I propose three of us go into the temple and search for Zephyr and her friend, the rest will gather whatever we need."
Serenity walked out of the kitchen, her face still lightly damp and picked up her bag that sat by the stairs. "Well then, who's going where? Or who prefers to go somewhere?" Serenity asked.
"At least I'm going to the temple, and I'm sure Lhinx is coming for she was the first one that proposed it... so who's coming?" Silver asked, grinning under the scarf.
…
Zephyr continued walking, and raised an eyebrow at a particular knot of roots on the path. That was an eerily familiar knot of roots. "Calix. . ." she said slowly. When he didn't seem to hear, she repeated herself. "Calix, I think we're lost."
…
"Tallulah sing for New Yevon guards while three go to temple. New Yevon give money and items to Tallulah." Lhinx said.
It seemed like the best strategy, sense Tallulah seemed very famous and the New Yevon guards looked like they needed entertainment.
"Find out what New Yevon have planned next. We count on you." Lhinx said seriously to Tallulah.
Kai walked up to Silver and the others. "Well, I know this is corny but I'm going wherever Serenity goes," he says with complete and utter seriousness.
Serenity hid her smile, for what Kai said was in fact corny. But he seemed completely serious, so she felt that smiling would be disrespectful. "All right then. So that means Lhinx, Silver and Tallulah will be going to the temple. Kai and I will get any supplies that we need and we'll meet back…at Silver's house?" Serenity suggested. "That sound good to everybody?"
"Good idea," Lhinx said. (This'll probably work better anyways. New Yevon'll definitely listen to the children of Lady Yuna.) "We go and see what wrong in Kilika Temple and help Calix and Zephyr," The Ronso said.
"That sounds good enough for me as long as your don't forget our silent Al Bhed friend," Silver said, laughing and moving his head towards Lucine who was sitting on a chair. "Lhinx and I are really the only ones not really liked by Yevon, so if they caught us we will be able to fight back. It's settled then: Serenity, Kai and Lucine go get our stuff, Tallulah distracts the guards and Lhinx and I go into the temple. We meet here as soon as possible, ok?"
Lhinx nodded in agreement. She then pulled out the ring she had found in her pocket. She held it in the palm of her paw, looking it over. She then noted how the ring glowed like fire. (It must be fire protective equipment. A fire ring! It's too small for me, but maybe if I just keep it with me, it'll protect me from fire attacks.)
"Good, it's decided then." Kai was relieved in the inside that he was going to be with Serenity, because at the present moment she was all the family he had left and his family was incredibly important to him.
"Ok, I'll catch their attention. But Yevon won't fall for it completely, they will leave guards at the entrance of the Cloister. You'll have to knock them out cold," Tallulah said. "No killing anyone, hear that Silver?" Tallulah knew what Silver was capable of, especially when it came to dealing with New Yevon.