I seem to be on a roll with these chapters, finally updating this story somewhat regularly. Even though this chapter is a few days (read: nearly 3 weeks) late.
I'm gonna try and take these chapters more slowly as we go, since I really want to get into Ariete's head. I also forgot Ariete had a tail. And ears.
Oh and, guess who's depressed again! Yours truly! Expect more updates soon, since it seems sadness somehow fuels my writing a bunch. Yes, this is really negative, no I am not sorry.
I awoke to morning light, seeping through the window and blinding me. I reached up to cover my eyes and winced as a jolt of pain rushed through my side.
Ah, yeah. The dog. I probably shouldn't have another brawling rage like that again. I kind of… gored it to death.
I craned my neck to look to my side. Master was asleep in a chair to my left. Huh, was he watching over us?
I turned to look to my other side, where my breath hitched.
"Raph… tal...ia!" I called out with a rasp. Her features were pale, and she was covered in bandages nearly head to toe.
I reached out, and then realized we were on separate beds.
"Oof!" I made a thud as my body slammed into the floorboards. I heard the squeak of a chair.
"Ariete!" I heard Master speak in a half worried, half scolding tone. I whimpered as the force from the fall agitated the gash in my side.
He lifted me up and set me back on the bed, shaking his head. "What were you trying to do?" He asked angrily.
"How's Raphtalia?" I retorted.
He glanced behind himself to look at her. "The doctor said she'll be up in two days. You'll be standing on crutches tomorrow."
I must've broken a bone. I looked at my leg where it was bandaged and splinted and also swollen beyond recognition. I sunk back into the sheets and sighed.
"And the wave?" I asked.
"12 days."
I cursed internally. If this man was to force us to fight the wave in 12 days, we'd be shredded.
I decided being pessimistic about it wouldn't do any good. What could I do to get out of this situation? The golden question.
Even if this master shows hints of good, I still can't find it in me to trust him. After all, wouldn't a true hero be able to protect Raphtalia?
I'd have to talk to her as soon as she woke up. That's the only way I can salvage our lives.
-xXx-
It had been a day and a half until Raphtalia finally woke up. I was on crutches, attempting to walk back to bed when I heard a small shriek. I stumbled in, and found Raphtalia on the floor, thrashing against the blanket entangling her. I moved over and pulled the covers off.
"Raphtalia? You ok?" I asked. She had a slightly fearful expression, but it disappeared when she saw my face.
The sadness returned as her eyes wandered to my leg. "Ariete! What did you do!?"
She stood, and pushed me with surprising strength back onto my bed. "What is this! how did you break a leg!?"
"Erm… I kind of... tried to avenge you?" I said sheepishly.
She flicked me in the forehead, a sharp sting ringing across the skin. "Ow!"
"Dummy! You could have trusted Naofumi-sama with it!"
"N-Naofumi? You mean…"
Shit. When had this happened!? Since when had she learned our master's name? And why was she using it?!
"Shush! Are you trying to earn us a beating?" I pulled her down. "You know masters don't let us use their names."
"Naofumi-sama told me to use it!"
"No way!" Impossible.
"STOP BEING SO LOUD!" Master's voice boomed through the doorway. We both made an "Eep!" of fear. I turned my head to look away, and Raphtalia faced downwards. I waited for the slap.
Instead, I was greeted by a warm feeling on my head. I looked up to find a hand right between my ears.
"I know you two are excited about being back together, but quiet down."
I felt my tail swish in tune with the confusion in my mind. He… he was giving us… a headpat? Like…
I shook my head to get rid of the thought. No, comparing this man and my father is a disgrace to my family. I don't know what he's getting at, but it can't be good.
-xXx-
A day and one bitter potion later my leg had healed mostly, and I was testing out my capabilities while my leg was still bad. I still had to keep most of my weight on my left leg, but otherwise, my right worked fine. Raphtalia's injuries were just flesh wounds and none of her organs were damaged, so she was up too.
We threw ourselves at the battles with monsters to get stronger. I had to be capable enough to protect myself, and Raphtalia. I pushed my mana reserves to their absolute limit, and with shaky hands, once our master was asleep and Raphtalia was looking away, trained my knife skills on the bark of a very unfortunate tree.
The day before the wave, we traveled back to the capital. Raphtalia had leveled a bit more than me and was a bit taller. She was also annoyingly optimistic.
"C'mon Naofumi-sama! The store's just up there!" She called. Despite her grown looks, she still acted like her child self. I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving her off.
We entered the store, the shopkeep recognizing us. "Hey there, shield boy! And you two girls have grown up well."
Master raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at me and Raphtalia. "Really?"
He shook his head. "We're here to get new wea-"
"No, Naofumi-sama. We're here to get you new armor." Raphtalia chirped in. I decided trying to fight her on this, now, would tire my brain out too much. She'd gotten my brand of stubbornness, and I realised why everyone at home called me "unladylike" whenever I'd spoken.
Unladylike was code for very, very annoying, it seems. I couldn't ever hate Raphtalia, but she was getting very close to falling off that edge.
"What do you mean armor? I have my shield." He said.
"Naofumi-sama!" she scolded. "You got injured yesterday by those raccoons! You need armor."
I let out a snicker as the visions of Master laughing at me tripping, then being interrupted by a porcupine to the face came back to me. Strangely still, I felt bad for the guy and helped him out a bit.
Raphtalia ended up pressuring Naofumi into buying a set of custom-made armor from Erhard, the shopkeep, and also a magic iron sword for herself. He also grabbed me some leather gloves and a new dagger. My old one had a few chips and had gotten dull from my practice on the bark. He warned me to stay back in the upcoming fight and use only my magic.
Of course, I'd do so with Raphtalia also behind me.
We left the shop after paying, promising to come back tomorrow to test fit the armor just before the wave. We had a small meal and then travelled off to what looked like a church. Our master scowled at the crest of the three weapon crest atop the entrance.
Not a fan? Well there's one of very few things we have in common.
We continued further, following a nun towards some destination I couldn't bother hearing and remembering the name of. We arrived in a room with a large, ornate hourglass floating. I felt tingles of magic coming from the reddish orbs on the hourglass, probably what was suspending the thing.
Our master held up his shield, and a beam of light stretched from it to the center of the hourglass. I could see numbers flash across his eyes.
"Hey, look! It's Scummy Naofumi!"
I turned around to see a blonde haired man, surrounded by three girls and had a large spear slung on his back. He had a smugness to his aura that gave me chills.
Our master clenched his jaw in a scowl I hadn't seen so hateful since we first met him.
"So you're still fighting in that junk?" He went up and gave a soft punch to master's shoulder. It threw him back a few steps and he let out a grunt.
On one hand, I didn't mind seeing one of my terrible wastes of air and food- masters being a bit roughed up. Still, I felt a need to protect my master.
"Hey, what do you want?" I stepped in between the two and faced the spearman.
I heard what I swore to be a delicate moan from the man's mouth before he launched into an animated introduction.
"Hey, Motoyasu Kitamura! Nice to meet you, I'm the spear hero! I'm smart, charming, and the best of the four heroes! What's your name, gorgeous?" He said while waving his hands around, striking random poses and winking incessantly.
Pause.
Double Pause.
Was…
Was I just hit on?
While I processed the very idea that someone could, and would, ask me out, he stepped forwards and placed a hand on my cheek and the other one reaching to stroke my god damn tail.
It took less than half an instant for me to boot him to the ground and place a knife's edge between his legs.
"If you wish to have a chance of continuing your bloodline, and I swear to this land I will end it if I have to, then you will never touch me again." I gave a smile I hoped looked crazy. Better crazy than creepily loved by whatever this man is.
It seemed to work as his eyes widened and sweat started to bead on his forehead.
"W-Wow… kind of a top, aren't you?"
I didn't really understand the meaning, but by the death glare my master shot at him, it must've been something not exactly family-friendly.
I twitched my wrist, and heard cloth fibers giving way to my blade. A squeak came from the man below me, and he scampered away. I let out a giggle as the once arrogant man crawled to his companions.
I turned back to stand with Raphtalia and my master.
I almost stumbled as I saw the look of pure hatred in my master's face. As if he was possessed by the amalgamation of hate itself, directed at the blonde haired man who had tried to flirt with me.
He stomped towards the exit, Raphtalia and I following suit.
As we passed another blonde and a blue-haired kid, they said "Don't hold us back."
When we came out of the building itself and into open air, I asked our master a question. "What did you do to earn the hate of all the other heroes?"
His teeth clenched, and his hands balled into fists. He glared at me, rivaling the stare of the cerberus we fought a few days ago. "We don't speak about it." He ground out.
I retreated, putting a good distance between us and dragging Raphtalia with me.
Danger. That's what I felt from him. At that moment, I made my decision.
We have to escape.
A/N: I honestly hate that I keep making promises I can't keep, yet here I am. I promise, promise, promise, I will get the next chapter out soon. Soon-ish.
Well, see ya next time!