Tail IV: Making a Move
"…We need to figure something else out," Ragna groaned, sitting at dinner table looking over all of the resumes he'd made that morning. It was nearly noon, he was already on his third cup of coffee, and was thoroughly miserable.
"I've been looking jobs all week, same as you," Makoto groaned back from his couch, having yet to get out of 'bed'. "It's not my fault that hardly anyone around here is looking to hire a Demi-Human. And since I was already a part of the NOL, people tend to like that even less. Either you're a part of the Librarium until retirement or you're left out to dry."
"You at least got severance pay, right?" Ragna asked.
"Yeah, but that's going to run out eventually, just like the money you got from your two days of pseudo-vigilante work. I still can't believe you managed to bag every criminal with a bounty in that short of a time."
"Didn't have to waste time tracking them down since the NOL branch here was doing such a horrible job keeping the city safe and they'd gotten ballsy. Now that they know I'm here, they basically know that if they come this way then they're getting caught immediately. I'm too big of a threat to mess with and… most of the people living here feel the same way."
"Is this about that news report we saw the other day?" his roommate asked. The segment in question had brought attention to the fact that in spite of the relative safety Ragna had brought to Kagutsuchi, his presence was here was still causing a mass move to other hierarchical cities. Some of the moving families had been in this city for generations; likely feeding into future movers. "They really shouldn't have done that."
"It probably going to get them a damn Pulitzer; there's no way that they would've turned down a story with that angle," Ragna sighed. "I thought once people saw me out there kicking ass to keep the peace they'd be grateful enough to tolerate me, but anyone that recognizes me on the street keeps their head down a moves to the other side."
"Funny, I didn't think you were the type to let that kind of stuff get to you," Makoto noted.
"…I didn't think I was either." Ragna thought before shaking his head, gathering all of his resumes into a single sack, and tearing them in half nullifying all the work he'd put in that morning. "Screw it."
"Screw it… how?" Makoto asked for specifics.
"Screw it that we're not going to keep begging for our damn place at the table anymore; we're making a new move that's all ours," the ex-Reaper declared. "I don't know what that new move is to start… so help me try to figure something out."
"Together?" the squirrel asked before she got a mischievous smirk. "So you want me to stay around after all?"
"…I mean I'm not gonna force you to follow me." If Makoto didn't know any better, she would've thought Ragna was being just the slightest bit timid.
"Eh, you couldn't get rid of me if you wanted to… you don't want to, do ya?"
"Not yet at least." Again, very reserved even now.
"Okay, well let's keep it that way and come up with a plan," Makoto declared as she finally got off of the couch. Now that they were getting out of their month long rut, she had new hopes and renewed energy for the possibilities that lay ahead. "So between my severance pay and what's left of your bounties, how are our savings looking?"
"Honestly, not too bad even without all of this work. And if we decide to get out of here, we can probably both get some cash back since Kagura already paid it off in full. So money's not going to be that big of problem weirdly enough, we just need to figure out a better place to go; somewhere that would tolerate us from the get go and has chance of actually accepting us both."
"While we get a plan together, we could move back with my family for a bit," Makoto offered. "I've talked to them about you and while they were terrified I was staying with you at first, they're slowly starting to come around."
"But they're not all the way yet, are they?" Ragna asked, Makoto only shrugged. "I… I don't want to put that on them out of nowhere. I'd want them to meet me on their own terms if it ever came to that, so let's not… dammit, sounds like a whole 'meet the parents' thing."
"Heh, kinda does," she admitted, but oddly didn't tease him past that. "Barring that idea though, what about any of our friends? I've managed to call a couple of people up these past few days, so maybe we can stay with them while we figure things out?"
"We're figuring things out now, and we'd just be mooching off of them until something better came around or they got bored of us… and most of 'em are your friends anyways. Very few of would want to put up with me as well."
"Right, it's not like I can bring you with me to stay with Tsubaki," Makoto admitted. "Kind of lame that no one else we know is around here to start with. Litchi is in Sector 7 with Kokonoe and I heard she's even bringing that aide of hers over as well."
"Tao's entire village isn't even here either; her clan decided to up and move shortly after the war was over. Maybe they thought it was best to get outta Kagutsuchi too, but I don't have any idea where they're going or even why. The last person here was Bang and he's…" Ragna didn't finish as he thought it over. "Wadatsumi."
"Sounds like a plan's starting to bounce around in that head of yours," the Demi-Human noted. "Don't leave a girl hanging, what's on your mind?"
"Wadatsumi was completely destroyed in the Civil War, meaning Bang's still trying to pick the pieces up with anyone willing to follow his lead. I met him only a few times, and aside from his outrageously loud yelling he's actually okay, especially compared to any of our other options. If we headed that way and offered to help him rebuild, he'd likely vouch for both of us."
"Huh, that's actually not a bad idea. And if it turns out to be a bust for any reason all we would lose out on is a place to stay and a bit of our savings," Makoto summarized. "And like you said, we mentally need to make some kind of move now. So we've figured out our who, what, where, and why; now for the when and how? Not too many flights going that way probably, if any."
"I'm almost certain to be on at least a couple of No Fly lists anyways, so getting anywhere that way without calling in several favors is probably outright impossible," Ragna guessed. "But it's not like we need to fly in the first place; I can handle traveling on foot outside the cities like it's nothing and I'm more than willing to take this journey on foot. The only thing is that walking to Wadatsumi means we'd have to travel light."
"Aside from those suitcases I brought with me; I don't have anything I need to bring. You?"
"Couple of changes of clothes, some spare rations in case I can't live off the land due to leftover Seither, and a couple of other traveling supplies. If we get two of those really big backpacks, we might not even need your suitcases."
"…I know it's moving pretty fast but… I kind of just want to leave tomorrow." There were no complaints offered by the ex-Reaper. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. It's probably just all of this inactivity talking, but right now I just think we both should make the move. I'd worry about the owners here giving us some absurd charge for leaving so suddenly, but considering I'm the guy that's leaving they might be willing to pay extra for our room if we leave tomorrow."
"Along with all of the furnishing that Kagura left us when he set us up with this place, so we could make some serious bank to help us get set up," Makoto agreed. "You're the owner, so you should be the one to talk with the owners about moving out. Meanwhile, I'll start making a list for what we need to grab in our shopping."
"Gotcha, this won't take long," Ragna said, about to exit his condominium… before realizing he was still in his morning bath robe. "…Should probably shower before I talk to them."
"I dunno, if you show up like a total slob it could just help our case to get rid of us sooner," Makoto joked.
"I got more respect for myself than to try that. Besides, I already come off as intimidating enough. Just get started on that list… and maybe just spend the whole day in the bath if you want. This might be your last chance to enjoy it for a while."
'…I know I should help him shop, but that actually sounds really good,' Makoto contemplated.
Later that day
"You never told me exactly what happened," Makoto reminded as her curiosity was getting the better of her. The two were still on their first stop for backpacks so they'd know how much carrying room they'd have to work with on their long trip (after Makoto eventually thought she was getting too wrinkly in the tub). "All you said was 'The negotiations were short' and insisted that we get started on the shopping. You hiding something?"
"No honestly, just that the owners were happy that I was getting out of their building so they could get people moving back in," Ragna answered as he grabbed one of the larger bags. "Huh… looks like has decent carrying room, but it's not very durable."
"Right, if things don't work out this might be more than a one way trip and even if it isn't there's still no telling how long we'd need them for," Makoto agreed as she looked further down the line. "What about me? They have anything to ask about the Demi that was staying with you?"
"Nope, nothing about you. Either they didn't care, they assumed you were coming with me anyways, they didn't want to make me mad asking, or they didn't even know you were there to begin with." That last one wouldn't have been too unlikely; Makoto had never met the owners the short time they'd been there, just the person running the front desk and even then it was just to get Ragna set up in the first place. "Eh, this one's durable and priced okay but we're not gonna be able to fit a tent in there. You trust to me to make the shelters instead?"
"You're the wild boy here; how good are they?"
"I've camped in snow using them without much of a problem, that good enough?" At his partner's nod, Ragna gave one last look over the bag before nodding and tossing one to Makoto before grabbing one himself. "I say we split food, clothing for both of us, and other supplies between the two bags and each of them gets a First Aid Kit. That way if we lose one on the way or somehow get separated, we won't be totally screwed out of our things."
"You just want to make sure I'm carrying my fair share," Makoto flirted again with a smile, only for Ragna to roll his eyes. "Kidding, jeeze. But that's some pretty good planning on your end. Then again, if anything can go wrong for you it usually tends to."
"Change usually to just about always and you're a little more on the mark," he grumbled. "…Guess I'm at least a little lucky if you're sticking around."
"Oh?" Makoto asked, getting right up in Ragna's face with a smile. "Sounds like a certain someone's starting to value my company more than he's letting on."
"More than I'm- I just flat out admitted it!" Ragna's exclamation was then overshadowed by the Squirrel's laughter. "Seriously?"
"Come on, with how much brooding you've done lately I had to do something to set off that animated side of yours," she answered through her laughing. Ragna's usual scowl was accompanied by the faintest bits of red.
The Next Day
"We… totally forgot to check the weather," Makoto realized as the two stood at the base of the Hierarchical City. Just outside of the cover provided by the upper level, there was already a decent downpour and there seemed to be a harsher storm brewing on the horizon. "Too late to get those tickets?"
"We'll have to travel on foot either way and Wadatsumi likely won't have a working weather management system. Might as well get used to it now," Ragna said before reaching into his and Makoto's backpacks and grabbing out a purchase from yesterday that was good in hindsight, rain ponchos. "Consider yourself lucky, I didn't use to have these when I was walking around."
"Sounds good, but what's that third thing you've got there? I don't remember you picking that up," she asked. The item in question looked like a… bag of some kind.
"…If I told you what it was for, you wouldn't have let me pick it up," Ragna admitted before slipping the bag on over Makoto's tail. His partner stiffened as he tightened it closer to the base. "It's a rain cover for your tail, figured it would help keep that part from getting thoroughly soaked."
"It feels like I've got a garbage bag on my butt," she complained. "Do I have to wear it?"
"You'll be thanking me by the end of this," the ex-Reaper insisted as he threw his own rain poncho on. "Ready?"
"I guess so. Let's hope things start to brighten a bit by the end of today."
"Heh, you talking about the weather or me?"
"Heh heh."
The start of the two's travel out of Kagutsuchi wasn't too eventful as a start. Ragna had a bit of a trip down memory lane as he passed through the woodlands where he'd reunited with Jubei before things really began to get crazy. Funny, it had been less than a year since then and it already felt so long ago. One thing that he did quickly notice was the lack of Seither patches to avoid and the few they did find were dwindling away. All of this was a fair reminder that the world wouldn't be able to run on their current version of Ars Magus for much longer… and another factor for Makoto.
"Did you tell Kokonoe that you were leaving?" she asked as the two bounded over a rather deep puddle left by the rainfall. "I know that you two aren't on good terms; even her helping you out was kind of sketchy with that who nanomachine thing, but shouldn't she at least know that you're leaving Kagutsuchi?"
"I've still got a cell phone; chances are she already knows because she's tracking me through it," Ragna answered, though he didn't sound too upset about it. "Besides, as long I don't cause her problems I don't think she'd be bothered by anything I did."
"Probably true," Makoto agreed as the two finally got out of the treeline. Now that they were out in the open though, the rain only seemed to be falling even harder. Sucking it up for now, the two only continued their journey.
Later
"There's a building all the way out here?" Makoto asked as the two spotted a mid-sized cottage out in the fields. They'd first taken notice of it when they saw smoke on the horizon and wanted to find its source. "Chimney's going so there's obviously someone inside… think we'd be able to spend the night here?"
"If it's an inn we'd be able to, but again why would there be one all the way out here?" Ragna had to question as the two approached. At the very least he saw that there was a sign labeling this place as the 'First Outer Hierarchical Inn'. Considering that there wouldn't have been one back when the world was covered in Seither, it was probably a safe claim. "Huh, I'll be damned."
"You mean you weren't already?" Makoto teased with a snicker. "Do you mind if we stop here for the day then?"
"We'd probably be losing a good couple of hours of travel time, but I guess this would finally give the damn rain a chance to let up," he reluctantly agreed. "Alright, let's try to get some rooms then."
Relieved that she'd get a chance to rest (and more importantly get out of the damn tail bag), Makoto eagerly led the two up to the front door before getting inside and out of the rain. The front lobby was homely enough, looking like an old hunting cabin. She noticed that there a few mercenaries there likely hired as muscle to keep the place safe. Much to her relief, she spotted a few other Demi-Human and quickly took the top off of her poncho and the bag off of her tail before heading to the front desk. Ragna didn't remove his hood just yet, simply drying the best he could in the moment while hoping no one recognized him.
"Welcome to our humble little inn," the man running the front desk greeted, hopeful for more business. "Must've been eager to get out of Kagutsuchi if you're willing to travel in all of this rain. Can't say I blame you most people would rather weather a little storm than stay in any town that houses the Grim Reaper."
"Right, we're trying to get away from Kagutsuchi alright," Makoto agreed passively. "But did you have your inn set up just for that? Sure the place looks new, but I doubt you could've gotten it ready that quickly."
"Wasn't that I was setting up for, even if I got a good bit of business with all of the people Bloodedge was sending my way. Nah, I set up here because I know the direction the world's going in. There's still going to be travel and trading between the cities even when we run out of Seither completely. This place is a rest stop for anyone that has to make the journey on foot, especially with that hike in prices for air travel."
'He's right. ground travel might be more common moving forward,' the Squirrel thought. "…Anyone from the city heading towards Wadatsumi?"
"You kidding? That's the one place that's worse than Kagutsuchi right now; I've actually had people coming from there heading to the city, claiming it was worth taking their chances with the Reaper instead of staying there."
'Never saw that in the news report,' Ragna considered glumly.
"Okay, but why is Wadatsumi that bad right now?" Makoto asked, trying to gauge what they were in for when they arrived. "I thought they had someone putting in efforts to rebuilding."
"Yeah, they got an idiot of a ninja leading the charge. Damn fool thinks he can lead the effort on boisterous speeches alone… from what I've heard people say passing through this way," the owner answered. "That place was completely totaled in the war so it's gonna take a miracle to put back together. Even heard rumors that criminals are starting to try raids on the place because it's so ill defended."
"Those criminals would probably have bounties on their heads, so shouldn't vigilantes at least be heading that way?"
"Who could we turn them into in that place?" one of the mercs answered. "When we were hunting them in the city we'd at least be able to give them a binding Ars for pickup, but these days you gotta bring the bounty back in person. No one's going to go through all of that trouble for sub-par bounties that would likely get you killed with your usual Ars weakened."
'The bandits are still fighting though,' Makoto thought. "Thanks for answering my questions, you got vacancy?"
"Yep, but I notice your man isn't talking much." The owner was referring to Ragna.
"I like to do the talking for both of us," the Beastkin answered, hoping to put the issue to bed so she could follow suit.
"Apparently. Either way, I gotta log you both in so I need some names."
'Shit.Now I gotta come up with something,' Ragna considered in a panic. "I-"
"Just put us down for Mister and Misses Nanaya." That stopped Ragna cold before he could give himself away.
"Ah, didn't know you were married. Then again the wedding bands are probably in your language since you've both been traveling," the inn keep figured. "Price for the couple's suit is up there on the sign. I get half up front as insurance and the other half before you leave."
'Couple's suite!? I just...! …Well, I guess it'd look weird if I asked for separate rooms now.'
Makoto paid off the room and signed them both in quickly enough, meanwhile Ragna was trying his best not to be noticed while also trying to look like he wasn't trying not to be noticed… so acting casually. Once they made their way into their shared room, Makoto let out a long sigh of relief as she finally set her heavy pack down and locked the door behind them before they got a good look at where they'd be spending the night. Despite the name Couple's Suit, the room in question didn't have anything erotic or even all that romantic for that matter. Just a large two-person bed instead of something smaller. There wasn't any further furnishing (not even a dresser or couch to sleep on) and the bathroom on the side was clean but basic.
"…I think I overpaid for this," Makoto realized. Not the largest problem that could've happened at least.
"It's out of the rain and we have a place to spend the night; we can deal with it," Ragna affirmed as he finally took the poncho off before shaking any rain that had gotten through out of his hair (like a dog). Makoto admittedly smirked a little at the sight.
"So… sorry about the whole name thing," she apologized. "That was probably pretty awkward for you."
"Eh, not as awkward as I would've been coming up with a name on the spot," he answered with a shrug. He then glanced to the bed and realized that the decision still had consequences. "…Even if I'm on the floor tonight."
"There's no reason you should have to suffer then. Promise you'll stay on your side of the bed and we'll be good," she offered. Even if they'd been roommates for a bit now and Ragna was obviously closer to Makoto than anyone else right now, it still felt like a lot of trust to give. He still nodded though, in spite of his own reservations. "Cool, then mind if I take the first shower?"
"You gonna leave me any hot water?"
"If anything, I'll find out if there's hot water to leave you."
"Fair. Proceed."
After the two had washed off and changed clothes they (albeit a little reservedly at the moment for Ragna) got into opposite sides of the bed. The awkwardness didn't pass even after Ragna turned out the lights… so he decided to try talking for once. "All that news we heard earlier… I think Bang's gonna need our help after all."
"I guess it's good that we're going to be headed somewhere that needs us, but the same thing happened with you in Kagutsuchi; once you'd taken out all of the criminals, they all saw you as the biggest threat and left you out to dry. What if the same thing happens after we save Wadatsumi?"
"Then… I dunno, I guess we'll need to just stay and help rebuild. No way they can just kick us out after that," Ragna figured, though he knew that it wouldn't be that simple. "And we'll at least have Bang in our corner… as long as everyone around him is still willing to follow him."
"Yeah, but I guess there's no point in worrying about what could happen just yet. And again, worse comes to worse we'll just have to move again," Makoto figured. "Hey… if by some chance there was a place for you there, but they had a problem with a Beastkin sticking around… would you take it?"
"Would I… What?"
"I mean, maybe you should. It's a lot harder to find somewhere that'd be willing to put up with you. I still have friends and family to count on for a while, so I could probably make do."
"…No, I wouldn't take it; any place that holds onto Beastkin racism isn't anywhere I'd want to live," Ragna gruffly shot down. "Besides, who was the one looking out for me back at Sector Seven? You think I'm gonna abandon you after all that you did for me? Until we both get our feet planted we're sticking together, alright?"
"…Are you proposing, 'cause I don't think you have a ring on you." Once again, Makoto blindsided Ragna's serious nature completely. He was glad they were in the dark so she couldn't see him blushing… not that she didn't already know he was.
"Good night, Makoto," he grumbled as he turned on his side facing away and tried to will himself to sleep.
"Good night, hubby," she teased as a final slight against him. Ragna growled but otherwise didn't let it show as the two lay there in silence.
…Until.
"Ragna?"
"Mmm…?"
"Since we're already this far… do you… want to try going steady? See if this actually works out?"
"…Yeah, I think I'd like that. Once we got to Wadatsumi, let's try to make it a home for both of us."
"That's what I want too."
More silence in the dark… only this time Ragna broke it.
"Is it just me is or is it kinda cold in here?"
"A little, I guess the heating or insulation in this place isn't too great. I have my tail as an extra blanket at least, but it's not doing much."
"…About staying on the same side."
"What about it?"
"I was wondering… Is…?"
"Just ask already."
"…Is mutual cuddling out?" Deafening silence. "You know… for… sharing body heat?" No response. "I'll… sleep on the floor."
"Go ahead and stay. All you did was ask permission." Ragna remained where he was, he was almost deathly still as he called himself an idiot in his mind countless times. Right up until Makoto pushed on his shoulder. Turning his head, though the darkness he saw his now girlfriend with her arms outstretched waiting for him. "Come on. We're not getting any warmer like this."
After a moment's hesitation at his own idea, Ragna answered the invitation a closed the gap between them. Holding her close while she did the same, Ragna started to gently stroke Makoto's Beastkin ears as she smirked with her face resting on his chest. Eventually their comfort gave way to the weariness their day of travel had caused and both drifted off.
The room was admittedly still cold.
Author's Note
So, back in five years and I set up the main relationship of the story. In the first draft of this story I had the unfortunate problem of going too far too soon, but I'm playing it a little better here. Instead of having you guys wait another ten chapters… my auto fill put ten years… telling. Anyways, I think I'm doing it a little better here because this is less of a love confession and more of a 'I'm willing to try this relationship thing out' which works a bit better. And the change in scenery proved necessary as I'll describe coming up.
So… now onto the length of this chapter. 5000 words with reviews added. Shorter chapter, which may be the format moving forward for this story. I'm thinking of keeping this short and sweet instead of having a major plot like most of my other works. This is mostly for fluff… fluff that I actually intend to finish. I want this story done in 20 chapters (again, auto-fill defaulted to years. It's judging me) which I think will give me plenty of time to work with what needs to be done as well as just leave breathing room for fun. Lemme know what you all think about any of this in those reviews, earlier ones I'll answer now.
KnightSpark: They may have been evil, but at least they were competent.
Marconator360: Roommates, right… well I mean they technically are.
ArmantusCumPinnae: That's an idea that I can still follow through on, albeit a different setting.
Koast: Hopefully this wasn't my only story you were following, because if it was… oh boy.
Unsung Senpai: Huh, guess I moved forward with your advice eventually.
Dragontitan: Here's another chapter.
SkrubLord: I doubt 4 chapters was enough to hold you over these several years then.
XanAuthorOfTheNightmare: Kind of his whole thing.
Swaydragon: I guess all of Kagutsuchi is getting the boot.
Paladin9800: Fluff, I will form it with fluff.
Kayen1024: Well here's another of those endings for you.
Zedwill: Hey! …This one's only from a year and half ago.
Promise the next one won't take six years! Ciao!
