This chapter has been edited.
Tot he. It is my enemy. No matter how many times I read back to correct it to "to the" somewhere, somehow, I see "tot he" crops up. It upsets me. I notice I also screwed up with Louie. I changed points of view mid sentence in the last chapter... What was once a narrator's point of view suddenly became Louie's. I'm sorry, it must have been confusing. T-T
Guys look at the bottom for responses to reviews.
So. Recette still got a face full of slime! Surprised? Don't be. It's far more realistic this way, and anyone who has looked at a few of my other stories should know I value realism of character development.
I would say congratulations to this story, because I just realized it is second in favorite counts, but it's not much of an achievement when I think about it. Mainly because it used to be tied for second at 6, and now is second at 7...but it has little hope, if any at all to become first. Why? Well, place number two may only have needed it to get over six, but the story that is number one on my roster has SEVENTY TWO favorites. So...yeah...big gap there. =S. Still, I'm happy for Recette.
I do not own Recettear or any or it's affiliates!~C F Winchester.
~Lemongrass Stains: Recette's Annual.
Chapter Eleven: Slips
Breathe in...breathe out. Hold it steady. Breathe in...
The night was a blizzard of howling winds and biting snow. It danced about in flurries of their own volition, melodies no one but themselves could hear. It played with the edges of a buckled, wind breaking jacket and whistled through a dark wool hat, made a scarf of deep purple flow behind the figure defying the weather. In hand, a blade sparkled in the reflected light from the snow.
It's dim, muted shine let one barely see a pair of eyes on a moon pale face. Hands of strong leather grasped the weapon in a dual grip. Shifting the blade to a single grip, the figure defied the snow with a single slash downwards.
Silence, but for the howling wind.
Another slash, diagonal.
Only the snow mutely fell.
Boots stomped down, packing the snow beneath as the figure braced itself and jumped, slicing once, twice, three times before landing again on the same ground. They spun in a circle, stomping the snow down into a packed circle in the midst of a torrent of soft falling snow. In the darkness, no one would see...
No one would see Recette if she cried..
...
It hurts more than I thought it would...to tell this story. I thought I was stronger than this...
I shake my head and instead ready my rapier. I tug at my belt with my right hand until a second blade comes free. Not my knife; another rapier. I hold them parallel, watching them glow in the dull light. If I focus on them...even the snow can disappear.
I close my eyes...and breathe.
I snap them open and slash with my left, snapping the right up to block. My right snaps forwards and I stab out. Pause to breathe. Draw both back slowly...
I chance a glance up to where I know my own shop's windows do not glow...
Never mind this. I attack.
My left and right both flash out, diagonally in an x before I twist them to bring them back up; quickly and straight. They bridge out near eye level as my arms force them apart, again; fast. They come down as my arms start to pinwheel. A twist. The left swings out. Another and the right does the same. I take a step forwards. Then another. I meet deep snow. I draw back.
I swear as I watch the snow, that my scarf grows longer as it flies about in the wind.
Is death coming for me then?
"I see you have not kept out of practice."
I don't even bother turning around. We did plan to meet after all. Still, Griff almost made me jump. Almost. I speak instead to the empty air.
"Do you have anything to sell Griff, or would you like to buy today?"
"Buy. I would like to buy today."
I turn around to him, and sheath my blades. I offer him a smile that he does not return. So I let mine drop. He examines me for a bit before he speaks, but I beat him to the punch.
"Welcome to Recettear, how may I help you?"
He smirks then. His eyes flash, and not for the first time I wonder if his blood is luminous while inside him, or if it is just his eyes.
"I would like to buy...information."
I say nothing to this. His face fades into something I can't read as he examines my hands, empty except for each other. Only then does he continue.
"Who was the woman?"
"Terme Finance."
"...So you've lost."
"No...Not yet."
He folded his arms over his chest now. He looked a little sad.
"Once upon a time you used to spit sunshine and exhale hope. Now all you an manage is a "Not yet." for me. I often wonder if anywhere else is cheaper...?"
I don't smile at his play on words, not much. I manage a small one however, and return in kind his comment.
"I've told you before Griff. I am cheap on price...rich on quality." 775,000 Griff. Final offer."
His hands came out of their sleeves then, and I saw the dull glint of some cream colored claws. So. He still had them. I could not examine them at this light or this distance with so much snow, but I knew them when I saw them.
"...and of course, I took that offer. Fair enough."
He turned to walk away, but I stopped him with his name.
"Griff."
He looked back at me, and I rose both of my blades.
"If you're unsatisfied, then come and test my will against your claws. Maybe then you'll get back your faith in me..."
He looked me over once before shaking his head. His voice was rich with irony when he spoke next.
"It's not you I've lost faith in Recette. It's humans. You restored a small portion of that faith when I met you. Now I have lost it again. You however, I will trust..."
He lunged at me and I barely got both blades up in time to block an incoming claw. It met them crossed at the crook of an x. He pushed lightly and I pushed back with difficulty. His eyes narrowed.
"...only as far as I can test you!"
As he broke off the lock of weapons and stepped to my side to try and slash, my mind spun back to the story I had been telling not even an hour before, particularly, a specific fight with this same demon.
+~-1~-+
"Ten seconds before her butt is handed to her, I'll bet 1,000 pix to that one."
Calliou smirked as he watched Recette and Griff stand awkwardly in the plaza, somewhat opposite each other as they eyed one another; one with apprehension and reluctance, the other with calculated aloofness and slightly registrable concern. Elan frowned at Calliou's rather harsh bet. Nagi shook her head.
"No, Griff doesn't seem willing to do that. She will most likely last longer."
The mage rolled his eyes. Maybe. He narrowed his eyes at the pair before re-assessing.
"Fine. Thirty Seconds."
"Negative. Recette will defeat Griff in that allotted amount of time."
Calliou raised his brows at that, and looked at Arma with a look that clearly said she had just broken his suspension of belief. In half. Arma backed off at the look with something one would swear was a sheepish look if they did not know Arma couldn't possibly look sheepish...or could she? You could never tell these days. Calliou sighed. Dead beats, every one of them. No one had the guts to take him up on his bet, they knew he was right.
"I'm sure she appreciates the vote Arma, but the rules are that Griff has to catch her within two minutes. Recette can't "win" in thirty seconds, she's gotta survive. But I'll take your bet Callou...and raise it. I bet Recette will stay uncaught. 20,000 pix. You up for that one? Or is it too much?"
Looking around, Calliou was surprised to find not only the voice, but the face of Louie behind that bet. He gave the swordsman a half smile that showed only a sliver of teeth on one side. What, was Louie planning on not eating for a month?
"It's not hot at all for me, but you Louie? Are you sure you'll be able to eat if you lose that much pix?"
"40,000 then."
Calliou's smile dropped, and he adopted a look that said quite plainly he was unamused. His suspension of belief threshold had just been crossed, again. Louie however, smiled now. He let a hand navigate downwards so that it could slightly lift a sac of pix that was on his belt. It jingled merrily when he let it go. He rose an eyebrow at the sound. Calliou did too, then he hitched back up his smirk.
"Fine then Lou. I'll raise you. 60,000, she loses."
Now, in all honesty, Louie really, really wanted to wipe that smirk off the mage's face, but Louie's entire bank was 40,000 pix at the moment. Calliou had a longer wallet than he did...but still, Louie felt obligated. These past two weeks he had spared with Recette on and off when-ever he met her and she had the time.
He had hoped fighting with her would both help her here and de-sensitize him to her some. After all, all of his dreams were of damsel in distress saving, and if Recette proved she could take care of herself...he could stop putting her in those scenes...at least that was what he had hoped...
Sadly; his brain had instead found a way of instead spinning tales of two warriors laying waste to all monsters that came their way, and unfortunately; he found this scenario actually more appealing than saving the princess type of work.
Instead of losing interest in Recette, he found his interest in the other women who had started to gaggle about him waning. It did not help that Recette, as she learned more about the arts of fighting and spent more time free to do her own work instead of running her store like a slave, had gained more...what was the word?
Mystique? Louie had always liked a good dosage of that...and he hated himself for it.
So he failed that bit. He did have a good idea of what Recette could do though. So he decided to bite.
"80 She wins."
Calliou's smirk became a feral grin. He knew for a fact now Louie was pulling his leg, there was no possible way the swordsman could have that much money. He was going to enjoy watching him squirm...his eyes glinted as he saw Charme arrive.
"100,000, she loses. I'm not going any higher. Also, neither of us can put up any money but our own. No borrowing to pay the other back."
Louie spared only a token glance as Charme came up to them all. He didn't hesitate. He knew that smile. Calliou thought he had Louie trapped and trussed like a turkey for thanksgiving. He really didn't think Recette could do anything. That above all angered him.
"I'll take that bet. You'll owe me a hundred thousand if she wins."
"You don't worry about that, you worry how you'll pay ME back."
Louie took a look at Charme, who was watching him with a measuring look. He was certain she knew he had been bluffing and was now very, veeeery far out of his depth...but there was a smile on her lips, as if she knew why. Louie refused to show any sign he was feeling any regret, though it was eating him like acid would a paper tissue.
A very dry paper tissue.
Charme turned to Recette and Griff. Her grin was rather impish, but Recette didn't see the humor. While she should have expected something like this with how willingly Charme took her in training wise, it still did little for the facts, but no one seemed to listen to her...she tried again nevertheless, a little desperate.
"Err, Charme, this bet won't work you-"
"Oh come on Recette, don't be a spoil sport, I trained you well enough, you can do it."
Her grin was even wider now, and Recette was not even sure Charme believed in what she was saying. Still, so cut off, Recette could only stew silently. Her head was still echoing with the one glaring detail that made this entire thing one sided.
"Of...Of course. I suppose you say "private listing" by meaning this particular combination of adventurers can only work as a team when hired by yourself? You are aware that if any three of the four you wish to do this too are hired and are not under any contract to yourself that they can accept, and thus leave you without a team if you come looking? You are also aware that if you wish to register another team and this team is available you cannot legally do so? Once you make a team private, whenever you hire a team and they are available, you MUST hire them and them alone…"
In other words, Griff could not be hired as a replacement to stand in Charme's place, legally. Griff was fighting for an empty promise...and no one seemed to want to learn that. Her mouth twisted into something that very much looked like a squiggling worm...but she got into stance.
Griff noted her stance and frowned a little. So did Charme, but she made no comment on it. She admitted she had not spent any time on teaching balance to Recette, and it was difficult to exercise the finer points of the girl's standing in the dead of night... but she must know what she was doing somewhat, after all; she was able to dodge well enough. She would have to work on it with her though...maybe. If she was paid. She smirked at the thought. Behind her however, Elan was grinning and Louie had a bit of a smile too. That wasn't an avoidance stance, that was an attackers, and both men knew it. Charme raised an arm and looked at the two "opponents" She let it down with a simple word.
"Go!"
Both combatants rushed forwards, and when Griff slashed out with a claw, Recette did not duck or dance away, but instead grabbed his arm and kicked him soundly in the guts. Calliou's mouth dropped and Louie started to laugh at the combined looks of Charme Calliou and even the bewildered, winded look on Griff's.
Elan just continued to grin. Like he had thought. That was not a defensive stance.
It was designed to attack.
+~-2-~+
Snow falls everywhere, both blinding me and making me skid around, but I held my ground as Griff pushed against my guard. I raise one foot and he disengages his attack, but I only mean to stomp it into the ground and then swing out my other. He's surprised, and I catch him in the gut, he backs off, stumbling slightly in the snow, but he regains his composure. He watches me. I watch him. He observes me watching him. The silence stretches.
"So."
A beat passes.
"So."
He narrows his eyes at that response. Then he huffs.
"You were never suited to become dark and mysterious girl. You were supposed to stay as you were."
I blink at this comment. I feel my stomach begin to tie itself into delicate knots. I decide I should probably speak before my body speaks for me.
"There was only so much I could take. It was either bend...or break. I chose to bend. Was I wrong?"
Despite myself, my voice was not as strong as I would have liked it to be when I said that. It wavered, but I could not tell through the snow and darkness, if Griff noticed. If he did he made no indication or comment to it.
"...No. You chose correctly. I only wish you did not have to make the choice in the first place."
Sometimes I wonder if demons had bigger hearts, better hearts; than humans. Here was Griff, the "big bad demon prince bent on destroying humanity with an arch devil or my own strength." ...and what was he doing?
He was lamenting, grieving for friends. Where was the little orphan boy who got a second, decent chance at life and lived well and happy? Destroying dreams, crushing hopes and mocking her as he tried to sweep her under his rug. He was looking for a stamp to get his piece of candy, and he did not care how many people he had to hurt to get that stamp. I sighed.
"I...can't change the past Griff."
Not anymore. I didn't say that bit aloud though, because it was the one thing that tore at me worse than anything else. It was the one thing I hated above all else about myself back then, this ability, this curse, to rewind time over and over and over...never escaping, both loving and hating my game of limbo. Wanting it to end...
...dreading what would happen if it did.
I remember once Louie saying to Calliou as the mage had dropped a sandwich he had just bought into the stream...
"Yo! You'll miss that later you know!"
"Ha. You think I'm you? I'm not a trash disposal, I won't miss a single sandwich."
"...You never miss anything do you?"
"What is there to miss?"
"...You'll never miss anything..."
Until it's all gone. He had whispered the last bit, and Recette had been certain Calliou had not heard it. She however, had. She brought herself back to the snow and darkness just in time to see Griff end his morose examination of her.
"I know you cannot. Yet sometimes your reputation proceeds you, and I assure myself you can."
I smiled a little at that. If only. It was possible to rewind time around a person, but it required a start point, a significant amount of magic equal to the amount of time, an anchor proxy and finally a person who was "pure".
I was missing...all of those requirements. I have no start point that would make any difference, since the events I want to change in the past, that desire to change them...had come after the events that I wanted to change, like Louie says...you don't miss what you have until it's gone... and as each day passed the amount of magic needed increased, and I was in no way up to that task. Griff said that I am quite powerful, but I disagree, and besides...
Even he admitted that "quite powerful" was nowhere near to the amount of time that needed to change. I have no anchor too. My shop is a burnt, blackened thing, there was hardly anything in there not effected by it, and usually an anchor was a person anyway...and the only person who would make sense as an anchor...
...was in no shape to help me.
Finally; I needed a pure person. Maybe, once upon a time...but now? No.
"I wish I could sell you this, I really do...but I'm afraid I'm out of stock."
"I know."
He turned around, and I called after him as he began to walk.
"Is this your last visit?"
"Yes."
The knots in my body, which had loosened somewhat; grew tighter, and I was sure he would soon be able to tell, I wasn't sure how much more...I could hold on for. I swallowed.
"I...if my shop is destroyed..."
He did not turn around, but interrupted
"You will lose."
"No."
He looked back at me, dispassionate.
"Yes, you would have. Whether or not you accept the defeat is up to you, but you will lose once this shop is gone. It is all that is left of the one bright spot humanity had. You have proven to me your strength of will, but will is not enough to stop the tides of time."
He looked forwards again, and this time when I spoke up, he did not turn around. He just continued to walk. I swallowed again, and my body tied itself just a little tighter. Disregarding the snow, I sat down on the ground.
Calliou as I knew him was gone.
I took a deep breath and held it.
Griff would never return again.
I continued to hold my breath, trying to stop my brain from reciting it's ditty. It continued, and by the next name, I had given up and let my stomach tie itself up into more knots, and my throat to constrict even further.
I would never see Tielle again.
Louie had gone to a place that I can't follow. Not yet.
It was coming. Soon it would come. Soon I would break...
I never got there.
I suddenly found a pair of arms around my neck, and someone pressed against my back. I saw in the darkness, strands of deep red, and I knew that she must have been watching me from the window...but at the moment, I was surprised out of my mood. She was as warm as a person who had just run outside from a fireplace heated house should be, and it made me realize how cold I was...I could only manage one word, though already knew the answer to what I was asking.
"Why?"
"You looked like you were about to cry."
I released myself from my own hold, untying my stomach and throat; but I surprised myself by not doing the very thing I had been trying to prevent. I did not cry. I just sat there, exhausted, being held in the snow by someone who, despite cooling quickly, was still warmer than me. I rose a hand and she let me go. I looked her over. At least this time she was dressed properly. My hand traced an arc before I committed energy to the gesture, and a small ball of fire, more for light than warmth, sprang into life on my palm.
I correct myself. The girl, in her haste, had not put on a scarf. I was much stronger of voice when I addressed her than just a few moments ago with Griff.
"Thank you...I needed that. We should go inside. It's snowing."
I almost smiled as I said it... for it was such an obvious thing to say that I was sure the other girl knew I was just saying it for the sake of saying it. Empty words. She cracked a smile that hid a laugh behind it.
"Duh. I suppose next you're going to tell me the sky is blue?"
This time I actually did smile.
"Nope. I'm going to tell you it's brown."
She looked at me strangely. Her mouth was twisted up into a sort of frown.
"Brown? Why such an ugly color?"
"It's the only color it doesn't turn into by itself I think. At least, it's the only color I have not seen it turn."
Her expression became even more confused.
"You've seen a green sky?"
"Yep."
As we walked back, I looked her over with a practiced eye. Only this time I was not looking her over in the way I had been, simply looking at her current needs and appearance, I tried to look at her like a customer, and a few words came to mind that mixed into a report as I watched her continue to speak.
Likes Gaudy things, sweets, hats and rings. Doesn't like to talk unless she knows you, likes to read. Will not buy any weapons, but might like armor if it looks nice. She's a high class customer, and those hands have never seen anything rougher than a paper cut...but...
She can be kind, and she knows now what she was doing was wrong. Willing to change...a bit naïve...It's almost like...It's almost as if...
It's almost like I am Tear ,and she is Recette. Not her tastes or her personality...but I seem to get the same kind of vibe, that same...purity.
A person who is pure huh...I look over the mental list of the things I would need to change this time...but I decide that, no... I don't have the heart to...
...check that item off the list.
I will not use her, even if I could. Tear had no choice with me.
I do, and I will find another way.
No matter what.
+~-3-~+
I watched her sleep, for once she had been exhausted, and she went to bed before me. I insisted she keep her own bed this time, so I watched her as I waited for sleep to come and take me too. Again I marveled at how young and simple she looked as she slept. There was no trace of stress in that sleeping form. Not show of her will or ability. She was simply a girl, a young woman, sleeping away the night.
I adjusted myself on the chair I had taken residence in and marveled how she could have slept in it so peacefully yesterday. I had far more bedding tacked on it than she had, and it was still difficult to find a comfortable spot...
At least I was out of the visual range of that infernal mushroom. As I mused about this I grinned, then I yawned.
I had seen Recette almost cry. I had seen her actually twist up to prevent it, not the small beads of moisture that had fallen before with no indication they had come from her...but actual, human crying...slowly as I watched her...she became more human, and I became more worried. She was just a girl.
Just a girl against two of the richest companies in I don't know where and all their resources...and she was not even one hundred percent. She was damaged, and I was not sure I was the one equipped to fix her.
I could hardly fix myself...
Another yawn caught me, and I almost nodded off. I took one last glance around the room and focused on the scarf Recette had been wearing. It was a beautiful royal purple. It reminded me of her friend, the scarf loving Louie. I wonder if he gave it to her?
As I drifted to sleep, my mind provided me with a movie, as it always does, of the story I had heard just hours before...
...
Recette ducked under a slash of claws and sidestepped Griff, swinging her foot to trip him up, but he jumped over the attempt. He reached for her, but she jumped back and away from him. He charged after her and disappeared from view, but Recette had long practice with this maneuver. Griff could make himself invisible...
She jumped backwards and kicked him in the kidneys, making him stop short and appear again, wincing but not downed. He recovered in time to make a grab for her foot as she retracted it from the kick. He missed it. She smiled as she darted to his side.
...but he could not make the dirt he kicked up from the ground invisible too. Charme's voice rang out and Griff increased his speed as he heard her message.
"Time's half done, you've got a minute left Griff. Come on, catch her, she's not that slippery!"
Recette jumped back from another slash and bolted to the side and away, and Griff sprang after her in chase... Yet, Recette only ran a few paces before stopping short and darting in a new direction, back the way she came, her elbow hitting home in the demon's stomach before he was knocked aside.
He was unable to stop and change his direction in time. Griff was quick, but he needed to slow down to change his direction when he went too quickly, and that was where Recette had the advantage...one she planned to use to the fullest.
Griff recovered and lunged after her once more, but again Recette stopped short and jumped backwards, her back slamming into the demon's head, disorientating him. He was not in the mind to grab her, muddled as he was; so Recette was able to escape once more and stand, waiting for Griff to re-capture his senses, wary for when he did. He recovered in time to hear Charme chime in.
"Half a minute left~ Looks like I'll win at this rate."
Griff sped at Recette and slashed, and then did not stop slashing. Recette had to keep backing up, seeing no opening to dance away; for every time she tried... he snapped his claws straight and almost caught her. She was slowly getting backed into a corner, and Louie's words came back to her.
"...Eventually if you don't hit back, someone is going to hit you..."
Recette feinted another escape attempt, but when Griff snapped to catch her, she instead kicked the crook of his elbow with her right foot, then grabbed his other arm below the claws and pulled him in to knee him in the gut with the other leg before she pushed off him. Griff's attack pattern had been broken, and he wavered to keep his balance. She jumped back when he charged again and this time when she swung out her foot, Griff fell flat on his face, just in time for Charme to yell: "Time!"
Looks like there was a definitive winner after all. Calliou's mouth was still wide open, eyes still bugged out. Charme decided to throw an orange at him to wake him up, but his mouth was open so wide that the orange popped half way in before Calliou sputtered and hacked, trying to relieve the thing from going down. His eyes were watering before he finally got it out, and he could only manage to splutter a: "No Way!" before Louie sauntered up to him and held out a gloved hand. The mage looked down at it and then to him, then back to the hand. Louie curled his fingers back and forth a few times.
"Yo. I'm waiting."
+~-E-~+
More Louie Angst, fun.
I started a new story this week, so really in the nine ish days it took to update, I did not write just this chapter, but a whole new story that has three chapters now. (Don't be jealous of it, it has short chapters, the entire thing is less than eight k words even with three chaps. No brainer as to which stories chapters have more content in them...lol.)
I'm an author who writes darkly, and I can get extremely so at times...but I firmly believe in two things. One if not putting more than needed. If the darkness becomes too much, really, what does the character have to live for? You need the sun to shine once and a while to appreciate when things get dark, and it makes you value that sunshine all that much more.
The second is that a character has to be shown developing. You have to see them at both the high and low to understand how they are the way they are. I love realism in stories, and revel in trying to use as much logic as possible in a story to make sure things make sense and that the reader leaves looking at people, not paper cut-outs. These two things combined give me a very nice focus for what I write, but my own experiences make me prefer to give a character hell before giving them cake.
But rest assured. The greater the hell, the sweeter the cake. I'm not Portal, I promise you this cake is not a lie!
Hello MikeyJC, welcome back! Yes until recently, it was kinda dead. But when I decided to update with chapter seven for old times sake, I received a kick in the rear which spawned chapter 8, 9, 10 and now 11. That kick was given to me by Lunar Wave.
Hello to you HikariNiwa. I'm sorry it makes you sad, but I can promise that it wont always be. I just might take a while to get to the happy bits.
Ctb, I have been told, on occasion, about being a genius, but I tend to disbelieve such comments. I have a rather humble idea about my ability, and I find humility lets me write on a constant mission to improve. It makes me work harder. XD
I'm not really upset if no one saw this coming. The big fight between Recette and Griff was a false climax that I had planned for a long while, but I spent so long between updates that I would not be surprised in the least to see that this particular detail sailed right out of people's minds. Unless you re-read everything after such a long wait, in that case, well, maybe you did see it as an inevitability.
Notes:
1: I did say I knew little about Crystal Nightmare, but one of the things I do know is Samael's Mantle. Which is the scarf Recette is wearing in the opening. It is a scarf, that, if I remember correctly, was said to grow longer as a warning as to if Death were coming for you. Now, if it's actually growing or if Recette is imagining things...I won't say. You'll have to look and see.
Take Care~Finalage