Rita awoke to the sound of shuffling footsteps, and her friends had awoken.
She removed Estelle's arms from around her and crawled out, the sudden shift woke her.
"Rita?" She yawned.
Rita sat out of bed, "It's time to go, the Capital is waiting for us," Rita held out her hand and helped Estelle up.
"Wait," Karol said, "Don't you want to get Flynn first?"
Yuri turned, "Isn't Flynn back at the capital, too?"
"No, " Karol said, "He went to Aurnion to help dig the trenches around the City, They're trying to expand it to the water so that people can have safe passage to a new dock."
"So, how do we get there?" Estelle asked.
"The same way Flynn did." Yuri pulled out his sword to accent his statement.
"That won't be necessary, " Judith told him, "I'll call Ba'ul, he can come to pick us up."
"Aw man, " a mischievous old man said, "Old Raven was hoping for a workout."
The group turned to him.
"Hey, old man, " Yuri said, "I guess you never shook the whole Spy thing."
"Damn it, you, idiot!" Rita shouted, "You had us all worried!"
"Aw come on, " Raven said, "You'd miss old Raven that much?"
"Oh, we don't know what we'd do without you, " Judith said in a sweet/sarcastic tone.
"Judith darlin', " He looked to her, "You're as cold as ice."
"It's nice to have our old pervert back." Patty smiled.
They all boarded the ship.
"We will need to get us far enough out to sea for Ba'ul to land."
"Aye, " Patty said enthusiastically, "It be no trouble at all!"
Patty turned and smiled at Raven, "Although I could use a big strong man to go below deck."
Raven shook his head, "Oh no, my old bones wouldn't be of any use to you."
"I'll do it." Judith offered.
"Woah, Judith's going?" Raven asked, "Actually, I think I would be of some help! I've got lots of life left in me! Judith and I have got it!"
Raven chased Judith down the stairs.
Smoke poured out from the ship's exhaust. Patty steered them directly into the ocean.
"So where exactly did Raven disappear to last night? Estelle asked Karol.
" It's a mystery to me. I've never followed Raven at night. He told her.
"You never showed any concern for your friend?" Rita asked him, agitated.
She walked toward him and raised her hand, Karol winced. Estelle lightly grabbed Rita's raised hand, "Rita, you can't keep whacking Karol like that. It wasn't his fault."
Rita sighed, "You're right. It's not his fault."
"He got distracted when he heard about Löder's condition..." Yuri rubbed his chin.
"So, you think he's worried about him?" Karol asked, "He's had many friends die. It's never affected him this way."
Estelle snapped her fingers as if a lightbulb turned on in her mind.
"It's not about Löder dying. It's about how he's dying."
"You're right. Think about how old he is and how long his heart Blastia has been functioning." Rita reinforced Estelle's idea.
"Löder is in his twenties... I can't imagine how he must feel." Estelle bowed her head with a depressing tone.
Rita grabbed her arm to comfort her.
Repede whined, still laying on the ship.
•••
Raven chucked another load of coal on the fire, Judith followed the same pace.
"So, what?" She asked him, "No, flirting? No perverted enthusiasm?"
Raven threw another heaving chunk on and then stretched his muscles, "I guess I've realized I'm not getting anywhere with you."
Judith grew more concerned by the minute. "I'm in a skimpy costume; I'm down here performing a highly intensive routine where this top could come off at any moment, and that doesn't interest you?" She asked him.
"Huh, " Raven said as if he had realized himself how odd it was, "I mean it does, I just don't have it in me."
"Raven..." She genuinely wanted to help him, "Are you ok?"
Raven shrugged, "I feel just fine, " he lied.
Judith recognized the lie, "Is it your chest?" She asked him.
Raven had a lousy poker face, "I- Yes."
"Oh?"
Raven sat his shovel down, "I don't think it's fair that I've lived this long, and that poor boy has to die."
Judith's heart broke at the sound of his voice, crackling, "Life sometimes works that way, but we have to move on."
" It's not fair that he has to he's being forced to accept his death, and it's not fair that I don't get to die." He cries out. His tears had mixed with the soot to create a mushy paste.
Judith felt sick and helpless. She didn't know what to do or say.
"Why do I get a heart, and he doesn't? Why do I-?
Raven's expression changed; he looked up.
Before Judith could react, a pounding came from above.
"One more scoop for the brakes!" Patty shouted.
Raven and Judith Simultaneously tossed a final load onto the fire.
•••
Judith emerged first, followed by Raven, who seemed to have a more contempt attitude now.
"I'll call Ba'ul."
The massive Entelexia roared out of the skies, downward toward the ship, they attached the boat to him.
A roaring tidal wave's worth of water splashed down back into the Ocean as they ascended. The crew had assumed their positions on the stabling bars, holding on for life.
Rita popped her ears as Ba'ul finally reached his maximum height, "Flying is a pain."
Judith turned, "Hey, be kind to him."
The City of Aurnion came into view. It had nearly doubled in size since the last time they were there.
Ba'ul began his descent to the surface, getting them as close as possible to the gate. Unfortunately for them, there was still a ways to go.
Several monsters stared them down, charging.
"They're a lot more terrifying without our Blastia," Karol said.
"That's just more fun for us!" Yuri shouted as he drew his sword.
"Hyah!" Judith screamed as she ran her spear through a turtle-like creature nearly four times her size.
Yuri hopped on top of a 10-foot tall walking stump and, with a mighty grunt, thrust his sharpened blade straight through it. "Hell Yeah!" He shouted.
A wolf with razor-like claws ran toward Rita. She instinctively attempted to cast a spell.
"Uh, oh..."
Estelle shielded her, literally. She smacked the wolf away from her and impaled it with her sword.
"Repede, protect Rita! Karol shouted."
Repede waddled rapidly over to her and drew his knife, on guard.
Raven drew his bow and sniped a beast that was attempting to charge Karol. "Watch your back, Karol. You're letting them sneak up on ya."
An Eggbear lifted Raven by the leg and dangled him upside down. A loud gunshot penetrated everyone's ears, the Eggbear's head was now gone thanks to Patty's musket.
"Better watch your back, old man!" Patty teased.
Karol slammed a Ratwigle across the field, eliminating the last of the monsters.
"Good job, team," Yuri said, Estelle began distributing high fives to all.
"How 'bout a hug?" Raven asked.
"I don't think so." She told him.
Estelle ran over to Rita and Repede, Repede panted and held out his tail, Estelle high fived it.
Estelle held her hand out for Rita, who was feeling useless.
"I don't feel like it, sorry, Estelle."
Estelle's expression turned sad.
"Fine, okay." Rita held out her hand."
Estelle smiled, "Yay!" She smacked her hand against hers.
They approached the gate, which was opened for them and shut after they got in.
Repede groaned.
Yuri sighed, "I guess that was a work out for you, huh?" Yuri frowned at his overweight dog, "Go to Flynn's house."
The rest of the party explored the City, new buildings had appeared, and new ones were still under construction. The walls were reinforced with steel and stone.
Patty ran over to a vacant two-story building. "This is perfect!" She shouted enthusiastically.
Before anyone could ask, she ran across the town towards the Fortune's Market headquarters.
Well, I guess the rest of us should walk around and look for Flynn.
"Actually," Estelle said, "I think Rita and I are going to head to the Inn."
"I'm going to stay here and talk to Ba'ul. We haven't caught up in a bit." Judith sat down on a bench.
Yuri sighed, "Just us, guys, then?"
Raven and Karol nodded.
They wandered around the town, searching for the Blonde knight.
•••
Rita broke down crying as soon as the door to the small Inn shut, Estelle wrapped her arms around her little Mage, allowing her to use her as a pillow.
"Woah, Rita..."
"I'm useless!" Rita cried.
Estelle held her closer, "Calm down, hun, what are you talking about?"
"In battle," She started breathing steadily, "Everyone else seemed to be doing just fine. The only reason I came out unscratched is that you protect me."
"Rita, just because you can't fight doesn't mean you're useless. Fighting is in the past; we likely will never have to fight a vital battle again." Estelle reassured her.
"I hope that's true, I do." Rita sniffled, "I still need to learn how to fight, I don't want to get in a fight and force you to protect me."
Estelle ran her fingers slowly through Rita's dirty hair, "I can teach you how to use a sword if you'd like."
Rita smiled as Estelle dried her tears, "I haven't had much luck with a sword in the past, but maybe with the right instruction I can learn?"
"That's the spirit." She told her.
"But first, we are in desperate needs of some showers." Estelle got up and pecked her cheek.
Rita pulled her back and kissed her more passionately, "I think you mean we are desperately in need of a shower.
Estelle giggled, "Ok, but we have to make it shorter than last time, this place doesn't have that much hot water."
They rushed to the bathroom.
•••
Judith stood right at the entrance, telecommunicating with Ba'ul.
"Your thoughts dwell on him?" He asked her.
"That depends on which him you mean." She replied.
"Be Wary of your feelings for the Black-haired one, he may be a hero, but he isn't the type to settle down."
Judith sighed, "I used to be, then you came along, and then they came along. Entelexia aren't the only ones who can evolve. Humans just evolve in different ways."
Ba'ul went silent for a moment, "This is true; you've both come a long way, I just do not wish for you to be emotionally injured by the black-haired human."
"His name is Yuri." She told him, "I can look out for myself, but thank you."
"My council is but a thought away. I shall always be here for you."
"Thank you, " Judith said out loud.
•••
"I wonder where Flynn could be?"
Raven, Karol, and Yuri had been wandering around aimlessly.
"HYAH!" A female voice screamed.
"What the heck was that?" Karol asked.
"It came from inside that building," Raven noted.
"Aurnion Gym and Sparing room?" Yuri read the title.
"Smaller actions, keep your back straight!" A familiar uptight voice shouted.
"Flynn!" Karol shouted.
The enthusiastic youngster was stopped at the doorway by a royal knight, "Hold it, the gym is not yet complete. Only authorized individuals are allowed inside. What business do you have here?"
"Flynn! Hey Flynn!" Karol shouted.
The blonde-haired commandant rushes to the entrance, "Let them all through." He told the guard, "They're VIPs."
"Hey Flynn, " Yuri waved.
"By all means, come inside." He told them.
The three walked in.
"Oh also, " he spoke to the guard, "If a Krytian girl in a revealing outfit, a dog smoking a pipe, a girl in a pirate hat with a gun, the princess, or an angry red-haired mage stop by, They're welcome also."
The four entered the building, a single room with weights stacked in the corners. It appeared as if the other rooms were still being constructed.
The main attraction of the large room was in the dead center, a massive, circular, padded sparring arena.
The source of the female screech was the one and Sodia, who removed her helmet and stood above three other men.
"You call yourselves Knights? Get up and tighten up those actions, show some grace!"
"Well," Yuri yelled over her, she turned, "Someone runs quite a tight shift here."
"Yuri?" She asked, still a little sheepish after the incident.
"Oh, my," Raven smirked, "If it isn't the Stiff's even stiffer Lieutenant."
Sodia hopped out of the ring. The men got back to work on footwork. "It's Captain now." She proclaimed.
"So, the beginning of the Sodia Brigade?" Yuri asked.
"Sodia wants the best of the best in her brigade," Flynn told her.
"In other words, Quality over Quantity then?" Raven asked.
"Indeed." Sodia told them, "It's up to the captains or Lieutenants of the other brigades, The Schwann Brigade and the Cumore Brigade, to send me soldiers they think are the best."
"You three are good, welcome to the Sodia Brigade." She shook hands with the excited soldiers.
"A sparring arena, huh? That's pretty interesting." Yuri looked at the design. 2-3 foot rubber walls were supposed to prevent injury further.
"Think I could give it a run?" Yuri asked semi-politely.
"Sure, " Flynn told him, "Go get into some armor from that room."
•••
Judith strolled into the room, "What's all of this?" She asked.
Raven and Karol ran over, "Yuri's changing into a sparring uniform. he's going to fight Sodia and her three guys."
"Yuri has a strong guard 6, best not to take him there." Flynn was coaching Sodia, "Don't underestimate his speed, either."
Yuri stepped out of the changing room in an embarrassingly tight tank top and leggings.
Judith smirked as the guys tried not to laugh.
"Oh my, that is an exciting outfit." Judith teased.
"Hey, it's only temporary. I just wanted to get in the ring." Yuri defended himself.
"I gotta say, " Raven stifled his laugh, "Your outfit leaves nothing to the imagination, I can see your cup."
Yuri rolled his eyes, "Ok, that's it." He ran and got his pants out of his bag and slipped them on.
"Hey Yuri," Karol tried not to laugh, "Does that shirt come in a spray can?"
The entire room burst into laughs.
"Alright, alright." He slipped his regular clothes over the training ones.
He then hopped into the arena, "Let's go then."
Sodia and her three men assumed their positions, "Company run C-17!" She used her new drill sergeant voice.
The three advanced, spreading out as far as possible, trying to get to his sides.
Sodia drew her blade, and Yuri waited patiently.
The guard to his left looked to his friend and nodded, then looked at Yuri's leg.
"Oh, how nice, a bad case of telegraphing."
Yuri smacked the left guard's blade in the other direction just as soon as he started to charge with it. In one smooth motion, he countered attacked, slamming his rubber blade into the guard's stomach and running to his side to avoid Sodia and the front-facing guard.
Sparing no time, the guard to Yuri's right ran in, Yuri avoided his blade entirely and ran it into him. If it were a real weapon, it would've gone straight through.
Yuri has weaned out the left and right, leaving just the one guard and Sodia.
They slowly advanced on his left and right sides, the guard visibly waiting for Sodia's command to attack.
Yuri faked an attack on Sodia. She took the bait and countered the false attacked. Yuri grabbed her blade with his own and slammed it into her own Knight, who had begun his attack following Sodia's.
Sodia faced her opponent, being the last one standing.
Yuri smiled, "Your move."
The taunting agitated her. She threw a clumsy attack toward him, to which he responded by taking a quick step back and taking her in his guard 6, the very same one Flynn had warned her about.
He finished the attack against her head. The bout was finished.
Yuri sheathed his blade, "Your Knights all told me what they were going to do. Lefty and Righty nodded to each other before attacking, and the other one kept looking to you nervously."
Sodia scoffed after an embarrassing defeat.
Raven shook his head and smiled, "The maestro's still got it."
Judith smiled, "Well, I think it was fun to watch."
"You could've at least eased up, " Karol told him.
Yuri smugly jumped out of the Arena, "I did."
"There's no need to brag about your victory, Yuri," Flynn told him.
"Nonsense!" Yuri took on a proud, sarcastic tone as he pulled a weight bench from the corner.
He hopped onto the bench to begin his boasting.
•••
Patty burst open the door to Fortune's market.
The very formal Kaufman stood up from her desk, her guards on full alert.
"Hold it," She commanded her guards, "I know this one."
She sat down and motioned for Patty to do the same. "What business do you have here?"
Patty hopped on the chair, "I have a business proposition for ye."
"I'm listening..." She said skeptically.
"Surely you've heard of Patty's Seaside Mysteries in Heliord?" Patty asked her.
"I may have heard a thing or two, why?" Kaufman was a very 'Let's get down to business' woman. Incredibly uptight, but it worked to her favor. She was one of the wealthiest people in the world, after all.
"I'm looking to expand my operation, and I noticed a vacant two-story building that is the perfect size!". She had a difficult time sitting still, "See what I'm getting at?"
"From what I've heard, Heliord's economy is booming from your restaurant, " she grinned, "I'm interested, let's hear your offer."
"4,000 gald monthly, plus 10 percent of all profits." Patty took a slightly more serious tone.
Kaufman tapped a pen against her desk, "Monthly renting will not be necessary, but I think 20% is fair, I have to pay for plumbing and electricity, not to mention this is my building."
Patty raised rubbed her chin, "18%,"
Kaufman smiled, "You are quite the negotiator. I think we're going to get along just fine." She stood up, "You've got a deal," she told her.
"Yes!" Patty exclaimed, "I'll need a deep fryer, a set of bathrooms, booths on the sides, and tables spread around."
Kaufman's assistant wrote everything down.
"I'm going to go find my friends now!" She jumped up and ran off.
•••
Yuri stood proudly on the bench and drew his blade, "This blade makes me untouchable. I use it to cleanse the world."
Patty ran in the door, walking in on Yuri's blasting session.
"There be no Lad." he pointed to Flynn, "or Lass, " he looked to Patty, "Who can tame this blade."
"Alright, Yuri, come on down." Flynn sighed.
"Make me, " Yuri told him.
Flynn took off his armor and grabbed a practice blade, "Fine. Step into the ring."
"Alright! Now we're talking!"
Yuri jumped into the Arena, crossing his practice blade with Flynn's.
•••
Rita and Estelle dried their hair with towels. The red-haired mage finished first because of her short hair and moved to the bedroom of the Inn.
A yawn came from the side of the bed, Rita jumped.
At the side of the bed laid their favorite, chubby pooch.
"Damn it, Repede. you scared me." She told him, using a towel to her nudity.
Repede snorted as if he was laughing.
Rita grabbed her clothes and stepped back into the bathroom with Estelle to change.
"Careful when you go out, we've got a chubby visitor laying by the bed, " Rita rolled her eyes.
"Don't call him chubby. He's just a little fluffy." Estelle defended.
Rita hung up her towel, letting her vulnerable, uncovered form be casually revealed to her girlfriend. "He collapses after he walks, just be glad I don't call him fat."
Rita put on her clothes, still carrying a scarf, even though it was nearly useless without her Blastia.
Estelle walked out and grabbed her clothes, running back into the bathroom to change.
"Is it weird that we're hiding our nudity from a dog?" Rita asked Estelle.
"Repede is more than a dog; he's unique, so it's not weird to hide from him." Estelle recalled the same conversation she had with Yuri, "Repede is Repede, " She told her.
"I guess you're right, let's go see what everyone else is doing."
Estelle quickly got dressed, and they headed out the door, giving a quick peck and holding hands as they walked, Repede lazily followed.
•••
Flynn grunted as he threw an attack at what he thought was an easy target, but Yuri countered perfectly, luckily he managed to escape that.
They circled each other, waiting for the right moment to strike, Estelle, Rita, and Repede walked in, they both noticed, but their concentrations were not broken. This was a real rivalry.
The couple watched the battle ensue, Estelle turned to Karol and Raven, "What exactly is going on here?"
"They've been going at it for about ten minutes, " Raven said, his eyes not leaving the battle.
Karol yawned, " It's getting kind of old..."
"Well, I think it's attractive, " Judith smiled, "there's nothing like a good fight between two battle-hardened warriors to get your heart racing."
Rita scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Please, it's just another exhibit of these two's battle of who has more testosterone. They may as well be using Rulers instead of swords."
Judith and Patty had their eyes locked on the battle, "Exactly..." they both said at the same time. They were enjoying this too much.
"Flynn, " Estelle cleared her throat, "I will be returning to the capital soon. I'm assuming you heard about Löder?"
"Yes, yes, I did." Flynn was utterly flat toned, focussing on the combat.
Estelle decided to reveal it to him, "Rita will be coming with me..."
Yuri finally threw an attack. The two got locked in a brawl, "That's nice of her..." Flynn struggled against Yuri's blade, "A friend helping a friend..."
"Actually, " Estelle said bashfully, "Rita and I are a couple now."
Flynn's concentration broke, "What?"
Yuri kicked him in the side and slashed the practice blade across his chest, "Yes! Victory for all-time!"
Flynn shrugged it off, "Hey, that was cheap."
"Maybe, " Yuri said smugly, "But there are no rules in combat."
"He's got you there." Raven said.
"Is there a problem with me dating the Princess?" Rita asked him, slightly worried that she may have to kill Flynn.
"No, " Flynn said bashfully, "I was just surprised, this is unexpected. I just didn't peg Estelle as..."
"As...?" Estelle begged for him to finish his statement.
"...As someone who was... Interested in... A relationship?" Flynn made a horrible recovery.
"Very smooth, " Patty laughed.
Flynn shook his head, "I'm happy for you both." He spoke genuinely.
