Fang's house was more of a medium-sized manor in terms of sheer space.
"…Almost forgot to tell you. I've got a bit of a roommate. Her name's Vanille, so make sure to introduce yourself. She's a bit…odd, but then again…so are you." Fang suddenly broke in, completely derailing my line of thought. She was good at that, I immediately noticed.
"Thanks…I think." I muttered, and rubbed my side (I took a hard blow to the side when I fought the Blackheart illusion) as she fumbled with her keys.
Finally the door opened without the slightest whisper of a creak, exposing the entrance hall to my studious gaze.
It was magnificent. The tables were polished to the point of shining like crystals, and the entire manor was extremely well it.
As I basked in the sheer radiance of just this room, Fang simply walked in and flopped down on a couch.
"Ah…what a day." She sighed in the general ecstasy of someone who just sat down after a long day of work.
"Why so tired?" I asked curiously, still examining some of the furniture.
"I'm a hunter. You know, I go out and kill monsters for money?" She answered slowly, to my ironic indignation.
"I know what a hunter is. As a matter of fact, I'm one myself." I corrected her. That last sentence definitely interested her.
"A hunter, huh? Interesting." She mused, and I suddenly detected footsteps coming from another room.
A young girl with pinkish hair sort of…just "bounced" into the room dripping wet and completely naked. I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a black version of Fang's white brand on her rear.
"Fang, we're out of towels—AGH!" She began, but then saw me.
"Hi." I spoke with an amused smile, and she let out an embarrassed squeal before bolting off.
I turned to Fang, and she had the same amused look on her face as well.
"Well, I introduced myself." I told her, and we both burst into laughter.
A few minutes later, Vanille reappeared (this time fully dressed). She had an odd-looking short skirt and a pair of stylish boots, and wore a pink sleeveless vest-like top decorated with several bead necklaces she wore loosely around her neck.
"Nice to meet you, Vanille." I introduced myself politely, and she smiled.
"Yeah, nice to meet you! Abraham, isn't it?" She shook my hand eagerly and energetically. I finally understood what Fang meant when she called Vanille "slightly odd".
"That's me, all right." I nodded in a friendly fashion, and Vanille took an empty chair.
I was sitting in a lodge chair across from her, and Fang was spread out on the couch lazily.
"So, Abe, tell us about yourself." Fang drowsily requested.
For some reason, her referring to me as Abe was extremely irritating.
"…I come from a place that isn't all that different from this land. I swore to protect someone…and I failed. I followed a gate here to see if I could find him and remedy my mistake." I managed to tell them enough to satisfy their curiosity but not enough to be telling too much information.
"Sounds familiar. We come from a different place, too. It wasn't that bad, really. We were cursed by "heathen deities" and doomed to follow their whim or be turned into monsters." Fang explained, and I realized how similar that seemed to my story.
"So, you're not from Ivalice B, are you?" I finally asked pointedly, and she nodded.
"Yup, from a chaotic place called Pulse." She clarified and did an exaggerated stretch.
I found myself already tired as well. The lack of feeding in the past few weeks had drained me badly.
"…Do you have a spare bedroom I can sleep in?" I asked, my voice distant in thought.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Upstairs, second bedroom on the left. Trust me, there's about twenty bedrooms in this place capable of supporting two people in each. Make yourself at home." She answered drowsily, and finally stood.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm knocking off for the night. See you in the morning." Fang yawned, and started off to her bedroom. Vanille tagged along mere moments later.
I stood, and started off myself. I would need a lot of rest for the night, considering the situation I was in. Who knows when I might get a good rest again?
The bedroom was furnished well enough, with several display cases that were empty of their décor. An intricately made desk was also notable, as it was outfitted with plenty of parchment, a quill, and ink to write with.
After a long sigh, I removed my coat and wrapped it around the chair before sitting down. I slipped a small journal out from the inner pockets and opened it.
"…I wonder when I will find him. Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps never. But I would never forgive myself for not trying." I began writing, using my own quill that was marked with the Circle of Umbra's symbol.
It was nothing short of muddled despair that first night. I had no help, no contact, and no definite way to get back to my Ivalice. I wasn't even sure Primo was here with me. All that kept me going was my will to do so and my promise.
But I also had hope. These two strange travelers had arrived here somehow. If they could get in, there was definitely a way out.
But little did I know I wasn't the only one that had arrived that same evening.
But I was the only one that didn't want me dead.
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