Chapter 4: The Carnival

I told him what I could about the scars. Just that my sister and I were experimented on and worked for the Mages Association. I didn't tell him why I left, I just wanted to keep it short. People get bored when you have a long backstory. I put his other pants in a stone by the old mattress where I first slept. He was slightly annoyed, but I said it was better than throwing them away.

We were still walking into the city but he was unusually quiet. Since the bar he was staying closer than normal but didn't say anything. I didn't want to ask questions until I was certain he wouldn't' get annoyed. I don't know what it was but he had no need to talk. I thought that maybe he was getting tired of walking, but then I saw a sign for a carnival. That could work. I was better than walking in silence and it was in a public space. I could see the lights in the sky so it wasn't too far away. I sparked an idea, but I wanted to ask first.

"Why do you look so board?" I said.

"There isn't much to entertain in this world." I had to convince him to go. He was an old man at his core, but this might kill some time. I would hate to go back to the church so soon, and the later we stay out the less chance I'd have of Kirei stealing my blood, or just seeing him period.

"Haven't you gone out to see the new inventions civilizations have made?" We kept in the direction toward the carnival, and was hoping if we got to the entrance he couldn't say no.

"I have little pleasure in things that are new." I turned around and began to walk backwards.

"Well not everything is new just changed. That's how progression works." I was trying to amuse him. Though I may be acting like a fool, after what happened outside the bar, I couldn't tell if he still wanted to kill me. Either way, caution was better than death.

"Then show me what you think is progression." He said it dryly, no care in his voice.

"You won't be invested." I said. "You just want something to do." I turned my back to him.

"If you haven't caught on, having someone else to converse with besides Kirei is refreshing." It was a compliment, but I still wanted to know why he was here.

"But obviously you have enough respect for him to live in his space." He stopped and I turned around.

"I appreciate his malice, same with you." I don't know what it was but I blushed a little bit. I hid it from him. It was embarrassing, but I guess I am one of the few people who would take that as a compliment.

"Okay. Here we are." We stood at the entrance. Gilgamesh looked puzzled. I had to assure him this was a good idea, better than wine dates with Kirei. "Come on, if you're going to rule the world some day you should learn how to entertain the masses." I grabbed his wrist and his hand slid into mine.

We entered the carnival. The tickets were only ten bucks. I wanted to look at some of the exhibits first before going on rides, but I enjoyed the history and different equipment that was shown. I could feel the excitement I did as a child, going out with my family to museums and places like this, it made me happy. But that didn't seem to please Gilgamesh. I was more excited than he was, which is what I was expecting to happen. My flags were still up. I was just trying to put a smile on his face, make sure he wasn't going to stab me in the back.

We had walked up and down the section with games and still no word. It had been an hour since we entered the carnival, but he was so uninterested. I kept my hands in my pockets along with my distance.

"This place is disgusting." He final spoke. But what did he expect from humanity?

"Well this is how commoner's escape reality. Bread and Circuses, you know?" I nervously laughed and realized that he wouldn't get the reference. My father would scold me for making such a mistake. I put my face in my left hand that I pulled out from my pocket. "Wait, you wouldn't know, you were dead." He took a few steps forward.

"Why did you bring me here? Be honest." He gave me an opportunity to speak my mind.

"Well I'm nervous." Gilgamesh sighed.

"You think I'm going to kill you?" He knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Yes." I stopped walking and he was two paces ahead. "You've killed thousands probably millions of people. I would just be another casualty of no importance." He turned around.

"Which is exactly why I wouldn't kill you. I have nothing to gain from it." There was a pause. Obviously he saw me as a nuisance and there was no point in being here if anything I said would annoy him.

"This was a bad idea. We should go." I began to walk the other direction by myself. There was no point in trying to win him over.

"What's that?" He walked up behind me. Maybe he saw I was upset?

"A ferris wheel." He looked interested. But this was the only thing he had spoken of so we had to go on. "Come on lets ride it."

"All right." He said and followed.

We got on the ride. Being that it was ten at night, there were few families at the carnival so the line was short. We were one of three couples on the ride. The ferris wheel went around twice but the second time I rigged it. I wanted to look at the city, so I used my magic to stall the operating system.

"Why did we stop?" He asked.

"I wanted to see the view." It was beautiful. The moon radiated off the river, with the damaged bridge being the only disruption. That was the first thing Rikki and I saw when we came here.

"They're still repairing it, huh?" It was a simple question. In five years you would think the city would clean up its mess.

"How would you know?" I had already given him some brief exposition. But I guess I had to reiterate.

"Because that's why I came here five years ago." I stared off into the distance, at the debris still in the river that I noticed the other night. "My sister and I had to investigate reports of a large beast and a golden blast on the bridge."

Gilgamesh smirked. He had to know what happened, but I would have to trip one of his nerves for him to do so.

"I wonder, was that golden blast Ea?" He looked at me with disdain.

"I would never use Ea on such a vulgar beast!" I had him. He had been hiding some secrets that I was curious to know about.

"So you must have been there?"

"You should know I don't like people who manipulate." I was simply trying to ask questions, and he gave a hypocritical answer. He was so quiet about his past, and I wanted to know what happened.

"I just have curiosity." I paused. "So, if you were too stubborn to use your weapon, who caused the golden blast?" He didn't respond but looked away from me. That only meant one thing.

"Was it someone you loved?" He blushed slightly and I wanted to know who this mystery woman was.

"Enough." He rested his arm on the edge of the cart. This kind of gossip must be annoying to him, but I wanted to know who he had a crush on.

"Come on, I'm young, amuse me." I turned toward him with a bright smile. He couldn't deny telling me now.

"She was a warrior. I asked for her hand in marriage, but she declined." Interesting. Maybe that's why he was so bitter. It was probably a small part of why he acts so stoic, but I'm sure he never told Kirei. That priest wouldn't care for a trivial subject such as love.

"Wow. She must have been pretty stubborn to turn down the King of Heroes." He had to have done something about it. This is the same king who denied a goddess who wanted his love. So if the tables were turned, I could only imagine the anger he felt.

"Did you kill her?" I asked.

"I don't know." He clenched his right fist. I broke the spell on the Ferris wheel and it began to move again.

"At least next time she won't be able to say no." I added. "People always want desire they can't possess. Especially if you're used to getting what you want." He smiled at that comment. I believe he saw the truth in it.

"Do you have any love interests?" I was surprised, my cheeks blushed slightly and he smirked; but I was prepared to be asked this, even if it was from a king.

"No. And I don't intend too." I crossed my arms. "I like being able to leave when I please. Most people want to settle down, but being on the run, it keeps things exciting." He smiled at that and I smiled back. I think it was a small gesture to say I wasn't completely failing at showing him the new world.

Now he had started to open up. Even if it was only a little bit, it still meant he had some humanity. We got off the ferris wheel and we kept walking. I began to ask about his adventures but he said he didn't want to dwell on the past in detail. I thought it might be nice to play a game; since I was rich for the moment, putting a few dollars into a game wasn't a big deal.

We passed the balloon darts booth where a little boy was playing. The kid was missing every shot. He was maybe 10 years old, though he kept trying he wasn't hitting any of the balloons, but was so determined to win a big prize. His mom was watching but seemed uninterested. I went over to the booth and Gilgamesh stay back to watch.

"Hey, let me try." I paid my dues to the man in charge and threw the darts. It was easy to hit three in a row. The kid was still trying but he quit and ran to his mother. The man asked which prize I wanted and I picked out the biggest one, a golden dragon that was the boy's size. I walked over to the kid and kneeled down.

"Here." I said, he looked surprised. "I don't need it." He smiled, which I took as a thank you before he grabbed the dragon and walked away with his mother. It was something small, but I could see my sister in his eyes. I would hate to see him hurt, and I just wanted him to show someone cared. But, I had no family now. Those days at the museums and carnivals were just a pleasant memory to pass the time. I walked back to Gilgamesh who was waiting patiently.

"That was kind of you." He said, as we made our way to the carnival exit.

"Actually it's worse." He looked confused. "Now the kid is going to grow up thinking he doesn't have to work for anything." It was true, but at least he smiled, just like Rikki used to. While lost in thought, out of nowhere I heard a robust laugh. Gilgamesh had chuckled before, but this was different.

"Clever, and corrupt. I admire your conduct."

"Action and reaction." We were outside now and began to walk into the parking ramp. I was curious if I had done well being a sort of escort. "Did you enjoy the carnival, King of Heroes?"

"No." I expected that. "But I appreciated the company."

I smiled, it was nice to feel wanted. Like someone noticed you as a person and not threat. HE didn't care that I was on the most wanted list. Most likely he just didn't care, but I felt I finally had someone I could call on as an ally.

We were still walking side by side. There was silence in the parking lot as we went up the ramps. Then suddenly Gilgamesh grabbed my waist and pulled me close.

"There is someone watching us." I didn't sense anybody. He must be using some unfamiliar magic.

"How long have you known?" I asked.

"Since we left the bar." We stuck together, now on the 4th floor of the ramp where only two cars were parked. That must have been why he was quiet. No matter what, I was ready. I would kill whoever it was, mage or executioner, I promised him a fight, and it was about to happen.

"Look, its daddy's little explorer." It couldn't be. The elder mage wasn't lying. I stood paralyzed.

"Rikki." I whispered.