Day 2: April 18 20XX
(April 12: a spark from a call)
The phone rang for what felt like forever as Ren curled up below her blankets, praying that the sounds from the café below would drowned out what she had to say.
"Hello?" Her father sounded tired as he answered, she bit her lip as the guilt over calling so late washed through her.
"H-hi dad… is Akira awake by any chance?"
"Ren…" she could visualize him running his hand down his face in irritation.
"Dad it's important." She insisted quickly. "Please just get Aki for me?"
"Fine." A few long moments of silence passed as she waited with baited breath. The bathhouse held very few products for her to use and her trip to the store earlier that day gained her so many odd looks the second she stepped into the feminine care aisle that she was not going to attempt that ever again.
"Ren?" She perked up at the sound of Akira's voice, almost forgetting why she called until his next question brought her back. "Why are you calling so late?" The sound of the last customers leaving the cafe reached her ears then, she had to make this quick.
"Look, there is no time to beat around the bush here Aki." She said a bit quieter into the phone. "I need your help desperately."
"What do you need?"
"Lady… products…" she winced as the other end of the call went silent, already picturing her brother turning white as a sheet.
"You didn't bring any with you?" He asked desperately a moment later.
"I was kinda in a rush Okay? Can you send me some please? I can give you Leblanch's address." There was another moment of silence before she heard him let out an aggravated sigh.
"Fine. Text your phone the address."
"You unlocked my phone?"
"Your passcode was literally the word Boobs." She had a short giggle as she remembered setting the code while bored out of her mind. "Ren! Please try to be a little mature here so I don't lose my mind."
"Okay okay." She adjusted herself into a more comfortable position and let her laughter die away. "I'll text you the address, just send me enough for a few months and I'll pay you back later."
"Was that all you needed?" She thought for a long while, she couldn't tell him about things she needed outside of feminine products. After all there was no way in hell he wouldn't question her asking for realistic weapon models.
"Yeah. That's all. I love you."
"Love you to… brat." Even if he couldn't see it she still stuck her tongue out at his comment.
...
"Okay, let's go over the pros and cons here." Ryuji called as he dodged an attack from one of three incubus' who were trying to kill them. "Pro, we managed to find our way into the castle." Ren slid under another incubus and shot him a questioning glare as she took a swipe at it with her blade, was he really choosing now to do this? "Con," Ryuji rushed towards the beasts with his pipe, ready to whack them across the room, "We somehow drug her into it as well."
"Oh shut it Skull!" Ann called out as she laid a line of fire out before her, disintegrating two of the three monsters before she continued, "I am at least being helpful here!"
"Ignore him Panther, it's not important." Morgana used his slingshot to take down the last one as he spoke. "All we have to focus on is the treasure."
"Mona's right." Ren sighed as she rubbed her eyes with her fingers. "The sooner we get his treasure the sooner all of this is over."
"I knew you would see it the smart way Joker." Morgana practically beamed with pride as he said this.
"Though getting Panther did waste us a full day due to her weakened state at the time." Ren said as her eyes met Ryuji's, his chocolate hues brightened instantly as he turned to sneer at Morgana. "We made some good progress today, it looks like we've covered about half the castle." Ann perked up at this, Ren hadn't even noticed her pouting.
"Maybe we should find a safer place to talk about this." Ryuji suggested as the four of them ducked behind a pillar to hide from a patrolling shadow soldier. Ren nodded before tilting her head in a 'follow me' gesture and running down the hall that the shadow had just left. She could already feel her energy waning, though she somehow ended up leading the group she knew she would be the first to run out of steam. Wielding Arsene put such a strain on her body that she was surprised she could still walk at this point of their infiltration. Late night talks with Morgana were no help as the cat had no idea why she didn't seem to have as much control over her persona as the others.
Their 'safer place' ended up being an out of the way closet that Kamoshida didn't find necessary in his castle. At least that was the gist of what Ren understood when Morgana told them about the lessened distortions in certain rooms earlier in the week.
"Do you think we can find the treasure today? We are cutting it pretty close." Ryuji said as he flopped down in a chair near the single table in the room.
"With Panther on our team we have a higher chance of making it further in." Morgana said as he laid out the two dusty maps they had collected. "I'm sensing the treasure from somewhere here." He added as he pointed to what appeared to be a throne room.
"Right in the heart of the beast." Ren sighed as she sat down, dropping her head into her hands as she did so. Headaches were always a warning sign that her strength was nearing its end.
"Hey man you're looking a li'l pale." She glanced between her fingers at Ryuji and shot him a small smile when she heard him say this.
"I'll be fine."
"Oh no, you said that last time and we practically had to carry you out." Ryuji slammed his hands down on the table as he spoke, causing her to jump and sit at full attention. "We are a team alright, you tell us if we need to bail for the day and we'll leave. Look," he motioned to the maps before them, "we are well over halfway through, I know I said we are cutting it close but one more day isn't going to hurt us."
"I agree, plus we do have school tomorrow. You need to rest up." Ann added from where she sat with her arms crossed over her chest. Every time Ren thought of Ann's outfit she felt a mix of anxiety and relief that left her struggling for which emotion was stronger. If her own outfit had turned into something like that then her secret would be out and she would be home already with Akira forced into her place.
"Oh man, why you gotta bring up school? Our day off spent in this Palace. Stupid Kamoshida." Ryuji complained loudly, bringing Ren's attention back to him. She felt a small smile grace her lips as she leaned into an upright position.
"We do need rest." Ren sighed as she rifled through her pockets, "I'm running out of medicine as well." The other three nodded solemnly, thankful that side effects from taking so much medicine were voided the moment they entered reality.
They made their way out of the castle as quickly as possible, pausing on the drawbridge so Ren could request their return to the real world before making their way towards the alley ahead. Ren leaned against the wall of the alley as she panted, even if the effects of the drugs didn't remain her exhaustion certainly did.
Ann was watching her with her brows pulled close together as she stood and stretched her neck, she raised her own brow in response and the blonde girl shook her head causing her pigtails to bounce lightly around her shoulders. Both Ann and Ryuji seemed perfectly fine after their trip into the palace, and Ren could feel the heat of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. What made them so much better at handling the strain a persona put on someone? How was she any different.
"Akira, do you mind if I come to the café today for a bit, it's still pretty early." Ryuji and Ren both froze at Ann's request, each turning to fully face her with unasked questions swirling in their eyes, "What, I can want some coffee once in a while." Ann huffed as she crossed her arms before her chest.
"Uh, sure." Ren replied as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. Ryuji made a disgusted face before shaking his head quickly.
"Coffee… you can count me out." He said in an annoyed tone as he turned to face the other way. "I gotta get home anyway to help my mom. See you two tomorrow." He gave them a wave without looking back at them as he spoke.
"Don't stay up too late." Ren called out as he began to walk away.
"Yeah yeah." was his reply as he shrank from their view down the street. Ann slipped her arm in Ren's and turned them towards the train station after he was out of their sight.
"I didn't think he knew," she smirked at Ren as she gave her arm a gentle squeeze, "I wouldn't have known if it wasn't for the way you stretch."
"What are you talking about?" Ren could feel the beads of sweat growing along her forehead as she asked the question. Ann was acting strange, not that she really knew the blonde, but still it was an odd dance around a bush that Ren could only guess at.
"Oh come on, surely you can tell me!" Ann insisted as she stopped in her tracks, her grip on Ren's arm causing her to stop as well and turn towards her. "You don't have an apple, and you are way to lanky even by the standards Ryuji set." Ren tilted her head slightly, confused as to why apples meant anything before Ann huffed in aggravation and forced Ren to meet her eyes. "You're a girl right? Why pretend to be a boy?" she inquired as she narrowed her own eyes.
"I… thats, I uh." Ren didn't know what to say, somehow Ann had seen past her when no one else had. The jealousy she held previously was replaced by a hurricane of nervousness that caused her face to drain of color as the bile rose to the back of her throat. "You- how?" She snapped her mouth shut after her sputtering words proved only to dig her deeper in the grave she found herself in. Ann surprised her once again by brightening immediately and practically squealing as she pulled her into a hug.
"This is great! The more girlfriends the better right?" Ann asked as she pulled away. The look of terror on Ren's face caused her to purse her lips momentarily before she continued, "don't worry, my lips are sealed alright?" She asked as she tilted her head and nudged Ren lightly with her elbow.
Ren stared at her as her terror and shock faded away into a blank expression before a small smile replaced it. She gave Ann a small nod before adjusting her bag on her shoulder. It was at this moment that Morgana decided to poke his head out and add to the conversation.
"Finally, I thought I would have to keep it to myself forever." he proclaimed smugly. Ren jumped and turned her head to eye him suspiciously.
"How did you find out?" She asked as her eyes narrowed at the cat.
"I sleep on your chest remember, and you don't bind it at night. I just figured it was a secret and didn't want to go behind your back to test my theory." Ren sighed and placed her hand against her face as she lowered her head, of course Morgana already knew.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Ryuji already knows too." She grumbled.
"I doubt it, He's kinda an idiot." Ann giggled around her words, the sound of her merriment bringing a small smile to Ren's lips. Of course Ryuji didn't know, he was too straightforward and would have come to her with questions the moment he became suspicious.
They talked for a bit more as they made their way to the train station. Once there Ann left Ren to head to her own home with a promise of a girls day later in the week. Ren was still a bit on edge about her knowing her secret, though she had to admit to herself that she felt a bit closer to Ann than she did before.
...
Chapter four has ended and Ren has grown closer to Ann. What's next for the group? Read the next update to find out!
Much Love:
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