Sutoroberī majo Chapter 2: Borderline Good, Borderline Free, an elsword fanfic

Strawberry look at Midnight with a shocked expression. 'That's impossible! I've only been there for eight-teen years! And moreover, time was stopped for me while I was there! They, shouldn't be dead...' Strawberry signed out messily, with tears in her eyes.

Midnight looked at her like she was mentally insane.

"Listen, er, Berry-" Said Midnight slowly. "Don't call me that!" Yelled Strawberry, her voice scratchy from never talking. Strawberry glared at him through teary eyes.

Midnight sighed and pulled Strawberry into a hug."It's okay. Your okay, right? That's what matters." He said to her.

Not being able to sign Strawberry just cried on his shoulder. Don't ask her why, she just trusted Midnight.

Soon, Strawberry stopped crying and backed away from him. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

Strawberry clapped her hands together. 'So, what do we do now?' She signed to Midnight who scratched the back of his head. He then said "There's a whole continent out there! I want to explore it! But we'll have to start with the next town over, I'm an infamous thief in Elder."

Midnight noticed the sun going down and smiled at Strawberry. "Can you, uh, set up a camp with your magic?" He asked.

Strawberry giggled and nodded. She made a fire pit in the middle and put a log to the right of it. Midnight went to gather fire wood.

Soon when Strawberry finished rolling out the sleeping bags, (one pink, one black) she waited on the log.

This Elrios was beautiful. Every bush and tree was green. There were almost no clouds in the sky and, was always a gentle breeze. Most importantly, there was almost no crime.

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

Midnight broke a branch as he was coming back to the makeshift camp. Strawberry was lying down on the log, so he left her alone.

Midnight lit the fire, being a Magic Knight came in useful… sometimes. The fire was warm and toasty, it would never go out as long as Midnight had at least one mana. He looked over at Strawberry, who was sleeping soundly.

"Why did you need to know about the El Gang?" He questioned her under his breath. Midnight stood up and walked over to his sleeping bag.

After he got into his sleeping bag, Midnight fell in to his usual dreamless sleep.

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

Strawberry was the first one up, she always was. Strawberry, hunted around for some fresh herbs and caught a few fish, then headed back to the camp. On her way, she tripped over something and was a little annoyed because now she had to wash the fish again.

Strawberry looked back at what she had tripped over and what she saw amazed her.

There, on the ground, was three purple and white spiked dynamos. Forgetting about the fish, she crawled over to the dynamos and picked them up. They were barely recognizable, but she still recognized them. They were Add's Time Tracer dynamo. She looked to both sides of her and used her magic, to make them good as new.

She cupped her hands over the delicate pieces of machinery and whispered some words, to reverse time's effect on them. When she took her hands off, the machines floated around her head making her laugh.

She picked up the fish and sighed.'Looks like I'll have to wash them again...' she thought. Then stood up and started back to camp. Strangely, the dynamos trailed behind her, like they did with Add. She looked at them with a confused face, then laughed a little more. 'Okay fine, you guys can stay with me...' she thought and the dynamos rubbed against her arms.

She was half-way to the camp when suddenly she felt a light presence on her head and shoulders. Strawberry lifted up her hand to her head and felt… a hood?

She pulled the piece of fabric off her head after carefully placing her next meal in the trust of her magic.

She almost teared up at what it was. There, in her arms, was Add's old coat. Heh. The dynamos really knew how to make Strawberry happy.

She slipped on the coat over her Dimension Witch outfit and started walking back to the camp.

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

When she stepped back in to the camp, she saw Midnight already awake and looking around for her.

She handed off the fish to the dynamo and told them to start cooking them.

Midnight was staring at the dynamo as if they were some sort of alien. Strawberry snapped her fingers in front of his face, catching his attention.

"Mornin' Strawberry." He said yawning. She laughed at him and then he caught sight of the jacket she was wearing. " Where did you get that?" He said, suddenly alert. 'From them,' she signed then pointed at the dynamo. 'it's a… old friend's..'

Deciding not to pry any further, Midnight began to pack up the camp and Strawberry went to help the dynamos with breakfast.

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

Both teenagers started walking to Bethma, the town next to Elder. The only thing Strawberry could say about the small desert town, is that it was hot, really really hot.

Strawberry pulled the coats hood over her head, even if it was a hundred degrees, she refused to take the coat off. Midnight was confused at this point, if she's complaining about the heat… why not just take off the coat?

Strawberry smiled and waved at passing regulars in the town. They didn't wave back. Which also confused Midnight to no end.

"Hey Strawberry, why are you showing these people kindness? They aren't showing you any..." said Midnight, at the form of Strawberry waving at another person who just scoffed at her. 'We have to show kindness to people-' "Kindness is sometimes the only thing we can give, right? That's my family's motto." said a voice behind them. Both teenagers turned toward the voice. There sat a light-green haired girl.

She wore the Trapping Ranger uniform and had her hair tied like Aisha's. One of her eyes was a striking red, the other an electric blue. One of her teeth was sharpened, and looked like a fang.

'Yeah! That's right!' Strawberry signed to the girl, who just nodded. "Exactly. The motto originates from my ancestor, I don't know which one..." Said the girl. 'Rena. Rena the Night Watcher.' signed Strawberry.

"Um, I'm not trying to stop a happy moment but, who the heck are you?!" Said Midnight, glaring at the elf. "Oh yeah! Where are my manners? I'm Yumi. A Trapping Ranger." Yumi said with a smile.

Strawberry smiled back at her. 'My names Strawberry, I'm a Dimension Witch.' She pointed at Midnight. 'And that's Midnight, a Magic Knight.' Strawberry signed and Yumi nodded. "I see. Why are you guys traveling together?" Strawberry looked at Yumi, then looked at Midnight. Midnight looked at Strawberry, they hadn't thought of a reason, it just seemed...natural…

"We're-" Midnight gulped, then straightened his back. "We're going to, remake, the El Gang."

Yumi gasped. It had been so long, since she'd seen the word El and Gang used in the same sentence.

She picked up Erendil and pointed the tip at the two travelers. Midnight backed up in fear whilst Strawberry stood her ground. She knew what that meant, it either meant a challenge or, to show the holder's strength.

Strawberry glared at Yumi, noticing that she had exactly enough mana to use magical makeup.

She assumed that Yumi fought the same way Rena did. 'I will not back down to a challenge.'

Yumi smirked at her and sheathed Erendil just as the group of three heard clapping.

Yumi's and Midnight's head snapped to the source of the sound while Strawberry looked through the corner of her eye.

"Very well done! You seemed to know what you were doing pink-haired girl! Now seeing that I must ask for help. I am Luna, the Sheriff of Bethma."

Strawberry fully turned around faced Luna, and snorted. 'isn't that the exact opposite name of the old sheriff? Luna, Stella?'

Luna raised an eyebrow at Strawberry. "What? I didn't catch that...I don't speak in hands."

Yumi translated for her. "She says ' isn't that the exact opposite name of the old sheriff? Luna, Stella?'"

"Quote en quote?"

"Quote en quote."

"Yes, that was the old sheriff's name." Luna's eyes glanced to the skyline and saw the sun just beginning to set.

"Well, Bethma invites you to spend the night in exchange for help with the nasod/lizard infestation."

Midnight and Strawberry exchanged looks, they were remaking the El Gang… The best choice here is to help.

Midnight turned to Luna, "We'll help."

"Great! Now Yumi, I need to see you, follow me." Then Luna waved to a house closer to the deserts."You can live there. See you in the morning, rest up!" She said walking away with Yumi in tow.

Midnight and Strawberry took long strides to get to the house and out of the heat.

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

Midnight sleepily yawned as he woke up to his stomach growling, going against his better judgement, he stood up and checked the fridge for food. Midnight sighed. "Jerky… Will have to do for now. Hey Strawberry you want any?"

Midnight turned to go back to his sleeping bag, only to see Strawberry was gone. She had slept in her sleeping bag next to his, so they'd be close, the desert got really cold at night.

He threw the jerky down on the counter and ran out the back door to see a figure standing over the cliff that over looked the deserts all around.

As he approached, he saw it was Strawberry and just as he was about to ask her why she was out here, he heard a song being sung, Strawberry was using her voice to sing.

Midnight walked closer to hear the song, it was semi-calming and wouldn't have noticed it if he hadn't woken up. The lyrics were smooth and flowed easily, he found it easy to get the song stuck in his head.

He hummed quietly along, with Strawberry.

The boys of the empire
They set head fire
Pull the plug sire
I'll spit fire

Gents of the empire
Strangle my desire
Pull the plug sire
And I'll spit fire

I'm borderline happy and I'm borderline sad
I'm borderline good and I'm borderline bad
And I can't get rid of a tingeling fear
You'd sort me out if my head gets clear
I live my life in shackles but I'm borderline free
I used to be blind and I still can't see
And I won't get around to a change of mind
As long as nobody breaks my stride

Tricks of the empire
Make happy kids aim higher
Higher up they wet fire
Fools of the empire

I went to school in the empire
Learnt the rules from a brat sire
I be a fool of the empire
'Til I break loose spread fire
Burn it down

She suddenly stopped and turned toward Midnight. She blushed a vibrant red, one that could have rivaled the red of the flames Midnight could summon.

Taking rushed and long strides, she jogged into the house, Midnight following close behind.

She was already in her sleeping back, still a bright red. Midnight followed her lead and layed down in his sleeping bag.

Soon he was asleep, the soft song she sung playing in rewind in his head.

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

In the morning, Yumi practically ran to their temporary house.

She happily knocked on the door to see a tired Midnight with jerky hanging out of his house. Behind him, Yumi could see Strawberry doing her hair up in twin-tails.

"Hmm? Good morning Yumi." said Midnight while yawning.

Yumi grabbed the teenager's shoulders and yelled "I want to help you remake the El Gang!"

/\/\/\000/\/\/\

*Yargh, that took me a while. Anyway, Yumi was inspired after my Night Watcher who people call Bow. (Bow in Japanese is Yumi) Also, can you guess why Yumi wants to join them?