And another chapter for the fic. I must say this chapter was tough for me to get out...but I'm glad I did, even if I feel it's weaker than the last. Wow, yesterday began the second month since I've first posted this fic. And on that note I have good news and bad news. Good news is that I beat Twilight Princess, so you no longer have to worry about that game taking away large chunks of my time to write! Bad news is, I started Four Swords Adventures, so now you have to worry about that taking away my time. Anyway, hope you like the chapter!
Review Responses
Guest: Haha, yeah, I was in a mood for humor while writing the last chapter, apparently. Oh yeah, and I think you'd be better off not calling Ninten that...or he'll bite back. Ten times as hard. And yeah, probably a good idea not to sleep while on the computer or tablet is it? In regards to Ness, I can confirm he will appear. I will not comment on anything else, but you shall see him later...Anyway, see ya!
Connor the speling pro: Thanks for the compliment, though I imagine I'll struggle with that in the future at one point or another. Basically, the characters only reached a town and reunited...probably not as much as compared to others, but maybe more than some of the prologue chapters. *Shrugs* You know, I just slapped one of the first names I could think of onto Ana's mom, and that just happened to be Kristen. I didn't make the connection with your OC until later on.
The 'virus' part comes from an early misconception about where it comes from in Eagleland science. There was much debate whether the bad PSI just multiplied or they were actually produced, and for a while they just went with the 'multiply' theory, and thus they used the term 'virus' since it is the multiplication of bacteria within cells (and PSI Virus sounded way cooler than PSI Cancer). They kept the term even when it was proven wrong because it was so widely printed that it was a pain to change and it sounded cool (which was totally the more important reason). I'll have to put this in if I rewrite this.
Thanks for the pointer; I'll keep that in mind. And don't worry about the caps; I didn't think you came off that way. And thanks for the humor compliment. Now that more characters are coming in, I can add in some more without them appearing to OOC...I hope. I'll respond to your PM later today. See ya later too!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this fic other than the OCs and plot.
Ninten sighed as he leaned back. "I suppose we don't have a choice, do we?" he asked.
"We have to move fast, even if it means I'm not at one hundred percent," Paula declared.
"These times..." Ninten trailed off, reflecting on how unfair the situation seemed. "...I guess we don't have any choice but to play what we have been given, and for us three, that's not a lot."
"When we join up with the army, that'll give us more options," Paula said.
"In some ways," Ninten replied, reflecting on what state the army might be in by the time they reached it. Spending time in the Royal Guard, Ninten knew general army procedures, and he also knew how much more valuable trained and disciplined units were, and how few in number they were compared to the militiamen. He could understand Paula's faith in the army, given that she'd been around the best of them for years, but even then, the regular army wasn't free from corruption. But even then, it wasn't the regular army he was most concerned about.
It was the militiamen no doubt comprising of most of their forces. They were undisciplined, untrained, inexperienced, and would be far more likely to commit atrocities than regular soldiers...not that it didn't happen among the regulars, it was just less frequent. They had to be careful measuring up their strength with only numbers due to the varying quality among them.
Footsteps heading down the stairs snapped Ninten out of his brooding, with he and Paula turning their attention to the descending Lucas. "Morning Ninten, morning Paula," he greeted, rubbing his eyes.
"Morning Lucas," the best friends chimed in unison.
Ninten noticed how Lucas looked at Paula briefly. "You feeling better today?" the blonde boy asked.
Paula nodded. "Yeah," she answered. "Ninten's help has really helped with the virus, which was quite straining despite the fact that it was fading at that point. I'll be back to normal before long."
"For once, you actually aren't denying your suffering," Ninten remarked dryly. "I swear, you make such a big fuss (possibly to get under our skin) when you really don't have to."
"I just don't want to worry you," Paula murmured.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you're not a burden if you say you're hurt or ill or whatever?" Ninten questioned, exasperated. "I swear, you are so gonna be the death of me someday."
"Anyway, what's the plan for today?" Lucas asked, changing the subject. "We all agree that we can't stay here long, but Paula's still not in-"
"I am quite fine with leaving today," Paula huffed. "In fact, Ninten agreed that today would be the best time."
"We need to reach additional support in Fiveopilis as soon as possible, especially since we can't wait forever," Ninten argued.
"Fair enough, but are you absolutely sure you are good enough to travel?" Lucas questioned to Paula.
"I am," Paula said, nodding resolutely. "Believe me, I'm a lot stronger than most would expect."
"I can testify," Ninten muttered under his breath.
...which his friend had evidently heard given the look she gave him. Ninten shrugged in reply.
"Anyway, yes, I'm strong enough to reach Fiveopilis and I should be good enough to go wherever we need to afterward," princess declared.
"What about food?" Lucas asked.
"If we need to, we can worry about that when we reach Fiveopilis," Ninten reassured. "We can scrape together enough money, so don't worry."
The blonde teen hesitated, but then nodded in reply. "So when are we leaving?" he asked.
"In a few hours, shortly after lunch," Paula answered.
"Thank you," Lucas said. "...So what now?"
"We kill time," Ninten suggested.
Ana walked quietly down the stairs, seeing Ninten on the sofa (where he spent the night) rummaging around in his bag.
"Hey Ninten," Ana greeted, walking up to the veteran.
Ninten's head lifted up from the backpack to meet Ana's. "Hi Ana, how are you?" he asked.
"I'm pretty good," Ana said as she took a closer look at the area around Ninten. There was a bulging sack that he was about to stuff into his backpack with some wrapped food that her mother had given them on the end table right next to the sofa. "You're leaving," she realized.
Ninten nodded. "Yeah," he answered, and was that a trace of remorse? Ana wasn't certain, so she decided not to act on it. Better not to make a fool of herself by false assumptions.
Nevertheless, she sighed. "I wish you and the others could stay longer," she told him.
Ninten nodded in reply. "I wish we could stay longer, but what's happening is too dire for us to wait. We can't stay here any longer or we might miss the army's reinforcements that are no doubt preparing a counterattack against the Pigmasks."
"Why does it have to be war?" Ana asked. "Why not peace?"
"I don't know," Ninten sighed. "But when one faction's trying to kill off the other, you don't tend to stop to think about peace until they tire of war or one side is virtually nonexistent."
"I guess I can understand that, but still..." Ana trailed off. "But, there is one thing I want to ask you."
"What is it?" Ninten questioned.
"Could you...um...er...I..." Ana looked away in embarrassment and shame from being unable to even summon up the courage to say what she needed to.
"What?"
"N-Never mind Ninten...it was nothing major," Ana said, pretending her request didn't matter.
Ninten's eyes narrowed, but thankfully for Ana, he dropped the subject. "I have one thing to ask myself," he admitted. "Take care of yourself. Even before the war, PSI users like us were disappearing from all over Eagleland, and I'm sure it won't stop. I...would hate to hear you were among them."
"Thank you Ninten," Ana nodded. "I promise I'll try not to be abducted." She sat down next to him. "By the way, is there anything I can do to help you pack?" she asked.
Ninten shook his head. "Thanks, but I'm good," he said. "But Lucas and Paula might need help; I'm not sure how they're doing."
"Okay, thank you." Ana got up, bowed slightly and quickly left the room. 'Why couldn't I do it?' she wondered to herself as she looked for the veteran's other companions.
"So it's time for you three to go now, huh?" Kristen said.
"Yeah," Paula sighed. "I wish I could stay here longer, but thank you for your hospitality and giving us the money we needed to get to Fiveopilis. I...really enjoyed getting to know you and Ana."
"Let's not dwell on that," Kristen told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It was an honor knowing you too, princess...not to mention the boys," she added. "But I wish I could've spared more for you, but that's as much as I can..." Kristen sighed.
"Goodbye Lucas and Ninten," Ana mumbled. "I...really enjoyed our time together, and I hope you two make it out safely."
"I enjoyed getting to know you too," Lucas said, Ninten nodding along with him.
"And like I said earlier, stay safe," Ninten instructed. "In these times, it might be impossible to always be safe...but please be careful."
Ana nodded as she mumbled one last, "goodbye," before heading over to Paula.
"Hey Ana," Paula said with a small smile. Ana could tell that her friend was trying hard to hide her sadness, but she could still sense it.
"Paula..." Ana trailed off. "I'll miss you," she mumbled.
"I'll miss you too," Paula said, "but I promise I'll come back to see you someday."
"You will?" Paula nodded and Ana felt her spirits lift slightly. "Oh, thank you!"
"It's no big deal," Paula replied.
"N-No, it really is," Ana retorted. "There aren't many people whom I can...connect with. You and your friends are among the few."
"Thanks," Paula said.
"Paula?" The princess turned her head towards Ninten and Lucas, finished with their conversation with Kristen. "It's time," he said.
Paula nodded. "Right," she said before facing the family one last time. "Thank you for everything, and take care! Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!" Kristen and Ana called, waving as the trio walked off. As soon as they were out of sight, they returned their hands to their side, both still looking in the same direction they left in.
"Hey Ana, let's head back in," Kristen told her daughter. "I'm sure they'll be fine, and they certainly don't want us getting sick."
Ana nodded. "One minute mom," she said. Kristen nodded and went back inside their home, her daughter staring down the pathway they walked on.
'I have to do this,' he told herself as she went inside, finally setting her mind firmly on what her decision was.
With the benefits of 4th-D Slip, Ninten was able to sneak his Giant Knife into the station without anyone knowing and hid it under the bench they were sitting at. Nobody batted an eye at three teens at one bench looking like they were all friends, especially since they were occupied in their efforts to do something to pass the time before the train arrived.
"...So what exactly is a train?" Lucas asked, therefore breaking the silence that had fallen in between them given the topic they were talking about had run its course.
"...You didn't ask earlier?" Ninten questioned, confused on why he didn't bring this up earlier.
"I couldn't help but be embarrassed by not knowing," Lucas admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
"A train is a vehicle that runs on tracks, such as those," Ninten answered while pointing at the aforementioned tracks. "Trains are among the quickest and most efficient modes of transportation in this day. They were so valuable that a handful were maintained after the wars despite a severe shortage of the materials necessary for the maintenance. But none of the governments could maintain as many as they liked, with some of the chosen railroads falling apart over time."
"Why couldn't they?"
"Some of them underestimated how much the maintenance at this time would cost themselves, others overestimated the strength of their workforce, and relations between some city-states were tedious at best, with even a few instances of minor skirmishes."
"What?" Lucas gaped. "I thought the world was at peace?!"
"That's what a lot of records say...but what they mean was no overt war," Ninten corrected. "Yes, battles and riots took place, but no actual war like this up until now."
"That's the reason why my parents insisted that I never set foot outside the castle grounds without heavy guard, especially since the monarchy doesn't have to go around and manage the country due to their lack of power," Paula mentioned. "I never actually did ride a train before, even though when I was younger I really wanted to."
"Your parents were that paranoid over you?" Lucas questioned.
Paula nodded, frowning slightly. "Yeah, my parents are a bit...overprotective of me," she stated.
"They'd probably kick me halfway across Eagleland if they knew I was letting you fight in the war," Ninten muttered in agreement.
"That's a bit? That sounds way to overbearing to me," Lucas shook his head.
"You have to remember the reason why the Royal Family was instituted only a decade ago," Ninten pointed out. "They are a symbol of unity throughout the Confederation, hope that one day we will rise to what humanity used to be. However, being a symbol like that is risky; very high profile...even though only valuable leaders, such as Fiveopilis's mayor, know what she even looks like."
"One thing I don't understand is why hereditary monarchy is so appealing," Lucas said. "Nobody chooses where they're born, or when they're born. In fact, you could very well be related to a brilliant leader and still be the worst person for the job. How come it's so unfair like that?"
Ninten shrugged. "People are naturally...'attracted' by familiar names. Even if that person isn't qualified to be a good leader, they would still have strong support because of their ancestry, and that children tend to share beliefs with their parents."
"Basically, it's like 'the apple doesn't tend to fall far from the tree'," Paula summarized.
Ninten rolled his eyes. "Oh gee, thanks for summarizing everything I just said into a mere saying," Ninten remarked, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"For such a luxurious lifestyle, being a royal is far more constricting than it appears, isn't it?" Lucas asked.
"Compared to most of Castle Town, we aren't far above average on most counts," Paula said.
"Really? I've always read in books on how rich kings and queens were and that they spoil their kids with," Lucas blurted out.
"Well, the central government can't set any taxes, only request them," Paula explained. "But city-states are reluctant to give any beyond the minimum requirements for our living, servants, guards, and maintenance, despite the paintings and lavish decorations of the throne room. But other than that, there isn't really a whole lot that we got over the decade in which my parents reigned."
"Those stories you're thinking of probably use the monarchs from before the wars," Ninten told his blonde friend.
"Things were a lot different back then, weren't they?" Lucas mused.
Ninten sighed. "More than any of us can imagine," he said.
"Attention. The train heading to Fiveopilis will be arriving in a few minutes," the intercom announced.
"Well, it looks like we won't have to wait for much longer," Ninten observed, eager to get moving again.
"Looks like I'll finally get my childhood wish," Paula said with a smile. "I wonder what seeing a train is like in person?"
"Hey, um...excuse me?"
All of their heads turned toward the voice who spoke, the person in question immediately shrinking back slightly under their gazes. "Ana? What are you doing here?" Paula asked.
"I wanted to ask you something...before you left," Ana replied.
"Couldn't you have asked us over telepathy if you really wanted to ask and save the money needed to get in here?" Ninten pointed out, wondering what had gotten into her.
"This, um...This is something I need to ask you in person," Ana said.
"What is it?"
"Can...Can I come with you three?"
Ninten's eyes widened in shock, being caught completely flat-footed by Ana's question. He looked at Lucas and Paula to gauge their reactions, and they wore similar expressions to his own. Given from what little he knew of Ana, he had some doubts about her ability to handle war, especially with her aversion to violence. If people would not fight on the battlefield, they were as good as dead.
The veteran turned his gaze back on Ana, looking at her sternly. "Ana, this is war we're talking about," Ninten stated, loud enough for Ana to hear, but not loud enough for anyone not deliberately eavesdropping could. "There is going to be violence and chaos, people are gonna die, and...you must realize everything will change after seeing that." To Ninten's amazement (which he tried to hide), Ana didn't seem to back down; in fact, her resolve seemed to harden.
"I know," she replied, so much unlike the kind and shy girl that they had first met.
Ninten mused in silence for a moment, thinking about this new side of her. He had to admit, he may have underestimated her strength, but he still wasn't entire comfortable with the idea of her tagging along...'What exactly triggered this change in her?' he wondered.
"You really want to come, don't you," Ninten spoke after a long silence. "Nothing's gonna stop you, even if we tried. You remind me of how Lucas convinced me to bring him along as well."
Ana maintained her silence, yet her gaze did not wave in the least. "...So why do you want to come?" Ninten asked, curious.
"It had to do with what you said," Ana replied. "You said PSI users were being hunted down by the Pigmasks, so I'm not safe staying here. I don't want to drag my family into this if I can help it. If I'm hunted down, they'll be forced into this one way or another. Besides, PSI users aren't much different than ordinary people; they don't deserve to be taken away like they are now. I-I want to help, and if it means I have to fight...then so be it."
There were a few things that Ninten valued in people, like integrity, work ethic, and determination. And this shy girl's determination...He only knew of a handful of people with as much as she just demonstrated, albeit idealistic and innocent. 'If only she knew...' he trailed off, thinking of how Eagleland had treated their own PSI users, but not as ruthlessly as the Pigmasks did. And she also had logic behind her as well, with her family in very real danger if the Pigmasks found out she was one of the people they were looking for, and their group would have an additional PSI user.
Though, the repercussions of war...he wasn't sure how well she'd handle this. Lucas's past had convinced him that he can at least stand strong in violent scenarios, and the performance in the battle (that they were forced into) proved he could hold his own against a swarm of enemies. Ana had yet to be tested in such fields.
He supposed he needed to consult the others.
"What do you two think?" Ninten asked, turning to his other two companions.
"I have to admit, her determination is admirable," Paula observed as she tilted her head in thought. "She would get out there one way or another now that she knows the truth. Mind as well let her...safety in numbers, right?"
"Considering the battle in Tazmily, her concern for her family makes a lot of sense," Lucas contributed, gazing up at the ceiling. "Still, like you said Ninten, this war will demand a lot from every one of us, and not only is there no guarantee we will return, there is a guarantee that if we do, we won't return the same."
Ninten nodded, thankful for their two cents in the matter. He turned back to Ana, mind set. "Well then, if you think you can withstand war, then you're on the team," he announced.
"Thank you. I promise I won't let any of you down," Ana declared, bowing slightly.
"But I want to teach you how to control your PSI better," Ninten said. "But you've had your PSI for years, so we won't need as much time as I did with Lucas...I think I can fit most of the lessons in on the train ride to Fiveopilis."
A whistle echoed through the station, grabbing the attentions of everyone in the group. All heads turned toward the tracks where they saw the train pull in.
"Speak of the devil," Ninten muttered as he watched the train slow to a stop.
"Attention, the train heading to Fiveopilis has arrived," the intercom blared as the doors to the passenger cars opened.
They watched as people disembarked from the train, but only a handful. "Let's go," Ninten said as he stood up, ready to sneak his Giant Knife into the train.
Ninten sat himself down next to the window of their room, Ana right beside him with Lucas and Paula taking the other side as well.
"Odd," Lucas muttered.
"What is it, Lucas?" Paula asked.
"Wouldn't you be more inclined to sit with Ninten since you are his best friend?" Lucas pointed out.
"That's the way it worked out," Ninten shrugged. "And I don't mind, unless you want to trade seats."
"I'm okay."
A silence fell between the group, having expended all of their words for the time being. But a commotion from outside quickly grabbed their attention, Ana snapping her head away from the window at the sound of yelling.
"I'll go look," Ninten volunteered as he poked his head out of the room.
"What's happening?" Ana asked curiously.
"...Two guys are arguing over who sits in one particular room," Ninten stated, disdain evident in his tone. "Oh, and now fists are flying," he shook his head.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lucas cried as he flew to his feet. "We gotta stop them!"
"No need," Ninten told him. "The attendants are splitting them up. We don't want to attract any unnecessary attention now." He closed the door and sat back down with a sigh, muttering something under his breath, which sounded a lot like 'typical' to Ana, but she made no comment due to not being sure if she heard correctly.
"Why were they fighting when they could've made a deal that resolved it?" Ana wondered aloud.
"People are assholes sometimes," Ninten answered bluntly. "You see that kind of behavior a lot, trust me."
Silence followed Ninten's statement, no one knowing how to respond to Ninten's last comment. Ana preoccupied herself with listening to the footsteps outside their room as people boarded and searched for their seat, trying to block out the disturbing thoughts circulating through her mind. But the noise only lasted another minute due to only a handful of people boarding. It wasn't long after silence had fallen when the train whistle blared out, nearly causing her to jump. Frankly, it was rather loud and obnoxious to her ears, and given Lucas and Paula's reactions, they agreed.
The train jerked underneath them, nearly causing Ana to jump out of her skin again.
"W-What was that?" Paula asked, apparently just as prepared as Ana was for that.
"It's what happens when the train starts to move," Ninten told her, the only one that was visibly calm. "But trust me; I handled my first train ride quite pathetically."
"And how old were you then? I would've loved to see you scream like a little girl."
Ninten shook his head. "I was ten at the time," he replied.
"Oh."
Ninten glanced out the window as he commented, "by the way, if you want a last glimpse of Snowman, now's the time."
"...Can I switch spots to sit by the window please?" Ana requested.
"Sure. Go ahead," Ninten accepted, standing up.
Ana hastily thanked him as she moved into his original seat, the veteran taking hers. She directed her gaze to see that the station had already left her view, and many of the houses that she recognized were only there for a few seconds before disappearing from view. She couldn't help a pang of sadness, knowing her mother was alone, and she already missed her.
"Missing your home already?" Lucas asked, but not unkindly. Ana nodded, still watching as her hometown disappeared. "...It was similar to when I left Tazmily," the blonde boy admitted. Ana turned to him in surprise, curious to hear more. "It's incredible how just stepping outside where you lived the majority of your life will change your views on the world," he mused. "It hasn't even been a week since I left, and it feels that so much has already changed...It's scary, and I also stole a final glance at Tazmily the last chance I got. It...was quite a sight, and I don't think I'll ever forget it. I've seen the view many times before, but knowing I wouldn't see it for a long time again really...made it a lot different. I felt a tug at that point, like I should stay home instead of going on this crazy adventure, but I didn't listen." Lucas smiled kindly at Ana. "Trust me; you aren't the only one feeling like this."
"Thank you for understanding," Ana said. "It's...It's really the first time I've ever left my hometown like this, and I've never been to a city before...I'm quite nervous on how that's gonna go."
"I first went to a city when I was about seven, accompanying my parents for reasons I no longer recall," Paula contributed. "But I remember my first reactions...It was quite overwhelming at first."
"So...what's it like?" Lucas inquired.
"A city is populated by more people than you two can imagine," Paula began. "It would seem like the streets would be flooding with them on any given time during the day, and the buildings come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, all unique in their own way."
"Whoa..." Ana gaped in disbelief.
"That certainly sounds overwhelming when you put it that way," Lucas whistled.
"But it would be best if you two saw it yourself," Paula said. "And my descriptions were only the best...the worst is, it isn't exactly the most sanitary and you'll probably find a number of beggars as well."
Ana glanced at Lucas uncertainly, his expression mirroring hers. Now, she wasn't as excited as she was before about seeing a city.
At this point, all conversation had passed, the group either sitting in silence or in dreamland. Paula and Lucas were in the latter category, having fallen asleep a few hours ago. Ana was still awake, due to being drilled in energy manipulation. Ninten had ended the session about half an hour ago, telling her to get some rest. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not drift off into dreamland. Her 'rest' consisted of tossing and turning for the most part.
With a sigh, she finally gave up, opening her eyes. Ninten was leaning against the wall with his eyes shut, their other companions in similar positions. She sighed again, looking out the window. It seemed as though time passed really slowly when you really don't want it to.
"Can't sleep?" Ana nearly jumped out of her skin, whipping around while barely managing to cover her mouth to stop her scream. She still squeaked a little, but that was better than waking up everyone within a fifty foot radius.
"O-Oh, Ninten," she said, calming down now that she knew who spoke.
"I startled you, didn't I?" he stated. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I wasn't expecting you to be up, that's all," Ana reassured.
"I was just making sure that nothing happened, that's all. No need to worry," the veteran said.
Ana frowned, concerned about his well being. "You know, you could always ask us to help if you need rest," she offered.
"Don't worry; I'm used to long and boring watches like this," Ninten said. "One of the first things they drilled us on in the Royal Guard."
"That sounds...boring."
"It was, but I'm glad I stuck through it," he commented. "Believe me, I would've been far worse off if I didn't."
"But what about your family?" Ana questioned. "Don't they miss you?"
"Attention all passengers," the intercom blared. "We will be arriving at Fiveopilis's station momentarily."
"Why does it seem like something always seems to happen after someone finishes what they're saying?" Ninten wondered as Lucas and Paula stirred from their sleep.
"Ugh...so sleepy," Lucas groaned through half-open eyes. To her credit, Paula was making an effort, though she didn't seem to be much better off.
"Well, wake yourselves up fast you two. We've got a busy afternoon ahead of us, lazy bones," Ninten chuckled, obviously amused, Ana also giving a smile.
Ninten glanced around the street as they exited the station, taking in the sights. Crowds of people walked up and down the street, making their way to wherever they needed to go. He recalled when he first saw a city, how enormous it seemed compared to Podunk...
In more ways than sheer population too. The buildings varied in all sizes, some being similar to regular housing, and others apartment buildings. Up ahead, Ninten saw quite the odd-looking building with a dome on the top, and beyond that...a skyscraper. He didn't know why Fiveopilis insisted upon that; a waste of materials in his opinion. Still, the veteran had to admit it didn't look half bad.
He looked at his companions, particularly Ana and Lucas's reactions. The black-haired teen couldn't help a small smirk on his face at the awestruck looks on their faces. "Told you the best would blow you away," he commented.
"This...This is..." Lucas couldn't form coherent words, and Ana just didn't try.
"Still, we don't want to stick around to see the worst," Paula pointed out. "Let's go ask around for directions."
"Easier said than done," Ninten said, glancing around.
"Hey, excuse me?" Ninten snapped his head back to Paula, who was now talking to a couple sitting on a bench. "Do you know where the Town Hall is?"
"Over there young lady," the man replied, pointing directly at the building with the dome on the top.
"Okay, thank you," she said before joining back up with the group. "That was easier than you thought," she commented.
"Let's not make this any longer than it has to be," Ninten mumbled as he began to walk up the stairs leading to the building. "I don't fancy having my back stabbed or trying to be bribed," he added, hearing the footsteps of his companions right behind him.
Entering through the wooden doors, the group was immediately greeted by a red carpet, similar to those that important people walk down that led up to the reception desk. Ninten spotted a very expensive-looking chandelier hanging above them and glanced around to see pictures covering nearly every inch of the walls.
'I think it would be easier to measure what isn't covered,' Ninten deadpanned. 'Seriously, if I didn't know any better, I'd say this would be the throne room for the Royal Family,' he thought with contempt. Seriously, why did they have to bother putting all of this decoration in a room that wasn't important? The warrior understood the purpose of glorifying the leader, but this was just showing off, using material that could be better used elsewhere.
"We want to see the mayor," Paula's voice snapped Ninten out of his thoughts, realizing the others were in front of the receptionist.
"I'm sorry, but the mayor is very busy," she replied, though Ninten could detect a faint trace of impatience in her voice. "I'm afraid he can't see you kids right now."
"But it's important!" Lucas protested.
"And the mayor's duties aren't?" the receptionist glared coldly at the one who dared to speak up. "The entire city is filled with over a million people, not to mention having to go through piles of bills every day. You three are simply narcissistic teenagers who think you're on top of the world. If you want to bug someone, do it to your own parents instead of an important person."
Ninten sighed, having expected this. And it was in this moment that he was never more thankful for one of the requirements of the Royal Guard before now.
He unslung the sheath of his Giant Knife, now holding it in his hands. He proceeded to walk around to behind the receptionist who was saying something else that just breathed 'prejudice against teenagers', and dropped it on the counter with a massive 'whump'!
Instantly, the argument fell silent, all of them staring at the new object in play.
"You should be able to tell me what that symbol on the sheath is, correct?" Ninten asked.
The receptionist whirled around, bringing her glare upon him. "You shouldn't even be behind me!" she contested. "And didn't I already tell your friends to go and bother someone else? Why-"
"Answer the question before you find out how 'real' that weapon is," Ninten growled.
The receptionist gulped and turned back, examining the sheath. "I don't know who would be crazy enough to let you kids run around with a weapon like this, but-" Her voice stopped cold, and Ninten knew she had realized what it was.
"Well?"
"It's...It's the emblem of the Royal Guard," she muttered in awe.
"Yes, so don't you think that one of the Guard is enough to at least have an audience with the mayor?"
"Y-Yes," she stuttered. "H-He's down that hall," she gestured to the passageway in question.
"Thank you," Ninten said, retrieving his Giant Knife and began heading towards the mayor's office, his stunned friends following.
'Honestly, that went better than I expected,' he commented to himself.
Next chapter is back to some action, but it'll probably take me two weeks to come out with it. Anyway, hope you liked this, and have a great day!
PSI Encyclopedia
Transportation System: During the course of the PSI Wars, most 20th and 21st century methods of transportation were destroyed or rendered impractical due to the sheer loss of resources. However, some relics from the 19th century could be preserved and therefore were put to use once more, though in very small numbers. Transportation from before the Industrial Revolution is far more commonplace.
Meeting Officials: Political officials, despite how corrupt they are, are very important people in the system, and therefore a system was put into place regarding requests to meet these people. First off, you have to be over eighteen to see them, and you have to come in after their hours are finished. However, anyone who has connections to the Royal Family (the Royal Guard is one such example) and other city-state officials tend to be exempt most of the time.