Mira led Chiyo up the stairs and back down the hall towards their room.
"All you archers are the same! Suicidal, trouble making, morally bankrupt, and stubborn! But Sukuraji, your special, you're all those things and completely insane!"
"How can you make fun of someone that's in this much pain?" Sukuraji's voice asked weakly, there was a hint of humor in her voice though.
The two poked their heads in through the door, "We're back!" Mira announced, waving as she walked in. Chiyo followed behind and remained quiet.
"Just what we need, the ditzy blonde and the reincarnation of trouble." Sukuraji 'hehed', reaching her arm up and resting the palm of her hand on her forehead. She had a bandage wrapped around her head that was just wide enough to cover her eyes. Needless to say Chiyo was disappointed.
"You seem talkative little-miss-darkness." The merchant put her hands on her hips. She raised a brow and smirked, "You also seem strangely happy, are you sure your feeling okay Suku?"
"Ha… Ha…" the archer said sarcastically, trying to sit up but was quickly pushed back down by Ridd.
Chiyo had just noticed this but her collarbone wasn't sticking out anymore, in fact, the wound was completely gone. When she sat up Chiyo could see her archer clothes had been replaced with bandages that ran from her pits down to her waist. It looked like she was wearing some form of shorts too.
Byza piped up, "Don't they say endorphins or something kick in after a serious injury? Make you all giggly and crap or someth-"
"Ahem…" the acolyte cut it, everyone turned their attention to her. Riddilili had light brown hair, put in a high ponytail. She wore a small nurse's hat, and choppy brown bangs fell over her blue eyes. "I'm sorry but I couldn't look at her injury any longer, so I revived Lady Sukuraji before you got back." She then turned to Sukuraji, "You're going to be very sore the next day or two, and you'll start to feel the side effects of being healed magically. Dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, and all around feeling under the weather."
She smiled politely and continued, "No more training or fighting. You're body thinks it still needs to heal your wounds so your collarbone area will swell up probably and be somewhat sore. Just give your body time to catch up."
Suddenly Ridd went into serious, butt whoop mode, "As for you three!" she pointed at the thief, novice and merchant, "Lady Sukuraji needs her rest! So no more training until she's recovered! So don't stress her and don't get in trouble!"
"Would ja quit calling me Lady Sukuraji?" the archer asked, sitting up and resting her elbows on her knees.
"I could never do that Lady Sukuraji!" the acolyte exclaimed, fake crying while sitting on the edge of the archer's bed.
Sukuraji leaned forward, wincing as if t hurt, and reaching out she patted Riddilili on the head, "Thanks for your help Ridd. Saved me more than three times now." Chiyo could have sworn that the usual scowl turned into a small smile; talk about messing with the natural order.
"It's no problemo." Ridd jumped to her feet and winked, "Just don't do it again."
Sukuraji crossed her fingers, "Sure thing." With that the acolyte glided out of the room, they waited till she shut the paper screen before mobbing Sukuraji.
"Does it still hurt?" Mira asked, looking worried.
"No- not at all." She replied sarcastically with a wicked grin. "Where's the kid anyways. Wait, never mind." Sukuraji said, turning to stare at Chiyo with a gaze no one could see. "You're walking around so I supposed you're still alive." She said plainly.
"How'd you know?" the novice asked, I forgot, Sukuraji doesn't even know my name yet!
"I assume you know that when one of your senses is cut off the other's become stronger. Mira's shoes click because they're solid. Byza doesn't make a sound period, except for her relentless screaming. And novice's wear leather boots that make a low sound." She pointed to her ear though, "But since I can't see I can hear you very clearly."
This was probably the most Sukuraji had ever talked before. "Anyways, let's get some shut eye."
"But you just woke up. You've already slept for almost ten hours." Byza crossed her arms, apparently hurt and amused by Sukuraji's comment.
"Your point is…?" she laid back, "Mira you're rooming with me…" Mira dashed over and whispered something in the archer's ear. "Okay then… kid you're with me, you guys get the other room."
Byza raised a brow and nodded, "Okay then." She said, "G'night." The thief said quickly before heading down the hall. The other three girls exchanged 'good nights' before also heading to bed.
Chiyo washed up and quietly slipped into bed, but before she could do so the archer sat up and stared at her through the blindfold, "By the way kid. You got a name?"
"C-Chiyo."
The archer nodded and laid back down, "Chiyo… what class were you thinking about taking?"
"A warrior class probably."
"Hmmm… G'night kid." With that she rolled over and became silent.
"Night."
"Where're we going?"
"Anywhere we want!" Mira replied cheerfully, throwing her hands in the air.
Chiyo sighed, "So where do you want to go first Mira?" she asked while the merchant grinned
"I've got lots of stuff to sell of, lets do that first then well have some zeny to blow." She smiled, "We need to accessorize you up Chiyo."
The novice wasn't even sure if 'accessorize you up' was proper English and coming from Mira it sounded a bit scary. "W-What-?" but Mira had already dashed into the Weapons shop to sell.
"I love Merchant training-" Mira said cheerfully, her wallet now pleasantly plump and heavy. "We learn all these skills, like, umm… we can sell junk for a lot of zeny; and people actually buy it!" she threw her arms in the air, scattering some coins. Chiyo dashed around picking up the money while Mira went on about how great merchants were.
While Chiyo continued picking up the zeny she watched as Mira squealed and ran to a blacksmith who waved and gave her a fake smile. "What 'cha got for me today Mira-? How's pinky doing-?"
"Pinky?" Chiyo turned to Byza who was rolling a piece of zeny through her fingers.
"Sukuraji. Jeara calls her 'pink' because of her hair. Everyone makes fun of her hair." She said, Jeara being the blacksmith.
The novice just couldn't picture Sukuraji getting picked on and let her tormentors live. She 'hmmed' and noticed Byza was grinning and rolling a second coin of zeny in her hand. Chiyo glanced at the pile of zeny in her arms and shifted away from the thief.
"That girl is gonna get herself killed." Novice and thief both glanced back at the blacksmith.
"I don't think Suku can die. I mean, she's been poisoned, stomped on, broke her collarbone three times now, nearly bled to death…" as Mira continued Chiyo felt herself become more and more uncomfortable with the conversation, "And nothing ever leaves even a scar to show for it. Ridd does her job too well."
Jeara shook her had, green locks of hair brushing against her shoulder. It was then that she looked to Chiyo. "So you're the new kid huh?" the blacksmith asked while the novice nodded slowly. Jeara took a step forward, circling Chiyo with an interested look. "No armor, a flimsy main gauche, and not even a headgear…"
Chiyo looked to Mira for help, the blonde only grinned at her, "Your crazier than Sukuraji." Jeara concluded, putting her hands on her hips and raising a brow. "You sure picked up a good one Mira." The blacksmith said, sarcasm practically dripping from her words.
Then the blacksmith looked at her again, she spun on her heel and began to dig through her cart. After a few moments of watching this she reappeared from the cart and spun on one heel. "Here we are-" Jeara said quickly, walking forward and spinning Chiyo around. She messed with her hair for a little while as Byza and Mira watched.
Satisfied with her work Jeara spun her back around, looked her from head to toe before clapping her hands together, "Oh, it's so adorable-! And it matches your hair!"
Hesitating for only a moment Chiyo reached up to lightly touch her hair, feeling a soft satiny fabric now tied in a small bow on the side. It may have been overdoing it a little bit with the clasps around her two front piece of hair, but she still liked it. "W-wow thank you so much!" the novice quickly
"It's nothing too special, almost everyone has a ribbon, probably one of the most common gears around-!" the blacksmith chirped, amber gaze still on the ribbon, "But it wards off bad magic and it's simple adorable." She added.
They thanked Jeara, Mira darting off towards another cart where she began haggling for some potions. "Is she in the party too? I didn't see a Valiant broach…" Chiyo asked the thief as they sat in the shade of one of Payon's many trees.
"Nope, she used to be though." Byza said, leaning back so she was propped up on her elbows, "Don' know the whole story though but supposedly Jeara was one of the founders of our little happy family." The thief received a curious look from the novice so she continued, "I think the story goes something like this… Jeara was one of the three founders of Valiant. They wanted to start out as a party and become a guild. They picked up Sukuraji and Mira when they were itty-bitty novices, like you. One by one they got their second classes and left. Jeara eventually left too but handed the position of party master to Sukuraji."
"Why not Mira?"
Byza shook her head and laughed, pointing to the merchant. Currently Mira was stomping around from cart to cart, apparently desperate to find some item. "Mira's a little bit too crazy to be party master."
A/N: Sorreh it took so long. Haven't been in much of a mood to write these days (sigh) not much else going on.
While Sukuraji recovers we're just going to have to deal. But with that leaotus still up and about I don't know if we can get much training done; and there's NO WAY I'm going back to those caves. The longer I stay in this little forest town the more I come to see the dark side to this whole solider of Rune Migard thing. Next time... Bravery comes with recovery... that's it for now. Chiyo blastin' off!