Chapter 2: Encounter at the Fountain Plaza

Makoto lead the group down the mountain following a stream ran from the spring to a cliff that over looked a city.

"Ah it's been a while." Said Seijuurou. "Hey they finally finished rebuilding city hall. And I don't think that was there last time."

"Yeah they built a new fire station a few months ago." Informed Makoto.

"Damn this is a pretty big city it's at least three times the size of anything on the islands." Said Rin. "Then again I shouldn't be very surprised since this ship does have mountains."

"Yeah Werites Beacon is an old city that us Orerines have occupied for centuries itss been here since before the second cataclysm." Makoto informed.

"So why is it called that?" Haru asked when they continued downhill passing some red stone ruins.

"From that thing on that one cliff that has wing structures sticking out." Said Makoto.

"Those aren't wings." Said Seijuurou, "They look more like, Gaet ribcages."

"Anyway, it flashes light every once in a while like a beacon and it's near a natural spring so it's Werites Beacon." Said Makoto. When they entered the city a man ran up to Makoto.

"Makoto, thank god you're here!" He cried.

"Why? What happened?" He asked.

"The hospital is a bit short on staff, we need your help." The man replied before running off.

"I'm sorry I was going to get something that could help you with Nagisa but I have my hands occupied." Makoto apologized. "If you want you could meet me at the fountain in the middle of the city."

"No, We're just gonna go to wherever Nagisa is." Rin refused.

"Good luck finding it." Said Seijuurou.

"Ah well I guess I'll see you when you get back I guess." Said Makoto leaving. Rin then grabbed Seijuurou by the shirt and pulled him down.

"All right, you know your way around this goddamn ship, so show us where Nagisa is." He demanded.

"I could, but I'm gonna do my job and do what the Merines wants." Said Seijuurou.

"Why the hell are you even bothering? He wants to find Nagisa and get Gou back." Said Rin.

"Actually I want to see what Makoto had." Said Haru.

"What?" Rin exclaimed.

"Nagisa seems like the type that can very easily manipulate people."

"By people do you mean you?" Rin mumbled.

"You know he could very well exploit you getting worked up over nothing." Haru argued back.

"Oh please what is he gonna do? Bluff to kill Gou?" Rin questioned.

"Make fun of your teeth and call you a land shark." Haru pointed out.

"That does not get to me!" Rin exclaimed.

"Oh really?" Said Haru crossing his arms.

"Yeah really." Said Rin.

"All right, let's go find Nagisa." Said Haru turning around, "Mr. Land shark."

"Hey! Don't call me that!" Rin snapped.

"What? You said it didn't bother you Land shark." Said Haru going back to face Rin.

"Haru I swear to god if you call me that one more time I'll-." Rin began.

"You'll do what Land shark?" Haru challenged, crossing his arms. "Like you said, it doesn't bother you."

"You son of a-!" Rin growled.

"All right we get it!" Seijuurou cut off. "Now shut up and head to the Fountain Plaza!" He turned around and marched off. Haru gave Rin a smug look.

"All right fine, you win." Rin admitted. The Fountain Plaza might as well have been called the "Fountain Park." The red lotus shaped fountain took up a decent amount of space in the park there were several plants surrounding the fountain as well as lining the walk way to said fountain. In the grassy areas people were either sitting on the grass or on benches most of them chatting. However there were some children playing a ball game of sorts. Haru's eyes widened and he felt a tug of nostalgia as blurry memories entered his mind.

"Haru!" He heard someone say snapping him back to reality. He realized it was Rin.

"What the heck are you doing?" He asked.

"Nothing." Said Haru.

"Well we're at the fountain, I'm going to the hospital to tell Makoto we've changed our plans." Said Seijuurou.

"Suit yourself." Said Haru. Then Seijuurou walked off.

"Great now we just stand around and wait for- Haru?" Said Rin looking around for his adopted brother when he saw him in front of the fountain shirtless and in the process of taking off his pants. Several people around him stood there with their mouths dropped while others would walk away quickly then sprint when they got far away enough and mothers that would pass by covering their children's eyes. "Haru!" Rin snapped. "Put your clothes back on!" Haru ignored him and almost stepped into the fountain when Rin grabbed him from behind.

"Ugh let go!" Haru demanded struggling to get free.

"No, you're not getting naked and jumping into the fountain!" Rin refused, dodging Haru's attempts at elbowing him.

"I'm in my underwear I wasn't going to get naked." Haru denied.

"Whatever, you're not getting in!"

"Yes I am." Said Haru.

"Hell no! Everyone here now knows that you're a Ferines I don't think you should show off any more!" Said Rin referring to the gills Haru has on his sides, covered with a white membrane. However Rin's comment piqued the interest of a young blue haired journalist watching the event. He pushed up his glasses and approached the arguing duo. He then turned around.

"All right everyone, there's nothing to see here!" He announced. "It's just a publicity stunt devised by the 'Knights of Justice' to provide a demonstration on what to do when you see someone about to go streaking with this new law in place."

"What? I'm not- mph!" Haru started but Rin covered his mouth.

"Shut up! Just go with it!" Rin whispered. The crowd muttered amongst themselves wondering about the blue haired guy's claim about a new law. "Uh … yeah. If you see someone about to strip in public remember um … grab them from behind and incapacitate them." He informed ignoring the fact that Haru was licking his hand. Every citizen looked on confused about the "demonstration" and went on the question the journalist.

"Now now, Ryugazaki media isn't some crazy Orerines biased news source like what you get on the islands." The journalist assured. "And if you're going to bring up a certain incident from five years ago it's because we were hiding the individual's identity." The crowd either calmed down or just shrugged and went on their way. Within minutes the crowd dispersed.

"Thanks." Said Rin whipping the hand Haru licked onto his pants.

"You're very welcome." Said the blue haired man. "But your friend here really does need to put his clothes back on."

"That's a weird law you managed to pull out of nowhere." Commented Haru yanking his arm out of Rin's grip.

"Well our 'Knights of Justice' are honestly a bit crazy when it comes to upholding and suggesting laws. An anti-streaking law would be something they would try to pass." Said the Journalist.

"Uh huh …" Said Haru putting his clothes back on.

"Now, I can't help to overhear that you're worried about your friend's secret besides that he's a Ferines." He stated.

"Well I was worried that they might find out about a certain … mutation he has if he gets in the water." Rin his eyes moving over to the side. Haru simply rolled his eyes when he put his shirt back on.

"Mutation huh?" Said the journalist.

"Yeah fins sprout of his gills." Rin replied then maintaining eye contact and fidgeting. Haru shot a glare at him that said 'really?'

"Really? It wouldn't seem likely with that membrane that he along with other Ferines have to make them look more human." Said the journalist. "I would be very interested in finding out how he manages to sprout fins if you weren't lying."

"What?" Said Rin.

"Well your eye movements and body language are clear indications of a liar. Plus I've been watching your friend getting increasingly frustrated as you kept lying." He said adjusting his glasses.

"You smug son of a-" Rin began grabbing the collar of his shirt.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Said the journalist. "You don't want to gain the attention of some colorful individuals."

"I would be more worried about what will happen to your face when I'm through with you!" Threatened Rin. His finger nails then started glowing.

"Oh an eren?" Said the journalist with a smirk.

"What the hell are you doing?" They heard Seijuurou shout. Rin turned his head. "I leave for ten minutes and I find out that Haruka tried to strip and jump into the fountain and now I find you trying to beat up a journalist."

"He was asking too many questions." Said Rin letting go of the journalist's shirt.

"He's a journalist. That's his job." Seijuurou stated.

"I swear to god if I hear someone use that excuse again I'm gonna kill someone." Rin muttered.

"Besides Makoto said that it would be night by the time he was done at the hospital, so he said that he'll meet us at the inn with something." Said Seijuurou.

"Then let's go there." Said Haru.

"Let's see, wanting to see Makoto for something … Is it about Nagisa?" The journalist asked.

"That's none of your-!" Rin began.

"Yeah." Haru replied.

"Oh…" Said the journalist sounding very irritated. "God what does he think he's doing? Ugh … I swear he's not gonna last long." He mumbled while marching off. At the inn the three bought a room for the night. Rin looked outside the window and saw a bunch of soldiers in red wandering about the city. Rin quickly closed the curtains.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" Seijuurou questioned.

"I'll be right back." He said rushing out the room.

"What the heck is he doing?" Seijuurou asked. Haru didn't answer. He went up to the window and peeked through the curtains. When he saw the soldiers he gasped and backed away from the window. "What?" Seijuurou asked.

"Soldiers." He simply replied.

"So what's so bad about them?" He asked looking out the window. "Are these soldiers you saw after you or something?" Haru didn't answer. "I'll be right back." He said also leaving the room. Haru then peeked out the curtain again to see Seijuurou bumping shoulders with one of the soldiers. The soldier got irritated and seemed to yell at Seijuurou, he yelled back and the two, with other soldiers, started trash talking each other bringing in a huge crowd of people who were curious on what's going on. It looked like that the two were about to get into a fist fight. Haru's foot shuffled back a little and he nearly let go of the curtain. Then a man and a woman in tight spandex both with face paint on and really tall mohawks jumped down from a roof top and confronted the soldiers with other people. Then they started singing with chorus girls which ended up stunning the soldiers and then the odd duo beat them into submission when a middle aged man with blonde hair that was shaven on one side of his head came along and ended up talking with the duo. After a small conversation he took the soldiers into custody and everyone dispersed. Haru pushed open a curtain and surveyed the town to see no soldiers however he did see a blonde girl in a blue and black dress staring up in his general direction. He passed it off that she was staring at a bird or something and turned away.

"What the hell was that?" He heard Rin shout from outside of the door way.

"That was the rock band Tight Werites or as they like to call themselves the Knights of Justice. They're a bit of a Legacy … legend" He heard Seijuurou say. "The police don't really like them."

"You don't say." Said Rin sarcastically. When they got back in the room Rin looked out the window and closed the curtain again even though he didn't see any soldiers.

"You know that was reckless." Said Haru eyeing Seijuurou.

"Some risks are needed Merines." Said Seijuurou.

"Wait you saw? What if the Alliance soldiers saw you?" Rin asked.

"All of their backs were turned, they wouldn't have seen me or care to look up." Said Haru. He then turned back to Seijuurou. "I know." He sighed. "Just don't get yourself killed."

"I can't promise anything." Seijuurou shrugged, "But I'll try to live as long as I can." Haru simply nodded.

When night fell Makoto came running to the inn with a box in hand. When he got there he slammed the box on the front desk. The sound startled the person there.

"Can I help you?" They asked.

"Ha…" Makoto panted. "Have you seen three men? Two red heads … and one with black hair?" He asked.

"Yeah, they're in a room upstairs." They replied. "Um Room 201."

"Thank you!" He said picking the box back up. He ran up the stairs and pounded the door. "It's me! Makoto!" Shortly after Haru opened the door and invited him in. "Thanks. Sorry I'm a bit late, I went to tell the police about Nagisa kidnapping Gou but I ended up getting laughed at."

"So what do you have there?" Rin asked leaning against a wall.

"Well," Makoto began putting the box on one of the beds. "I've known Nagisa for a few years. Combat wise he will end up using a lot of sneak attacks however if he can talk his way out of a fight, he will. Though I'm pretty sure he has some things that he can be manipulated into."

"Pretty sure?" Rin questioned.

"Yeah, Rei's usually the one who knows how to talk him out of doing something." Said Makoto.

"Then why don't just find this Rei guy?" Rin asked.

"I don't think bringing him into this would be a good idea." Makoto explained. "However, we won't need him, I know he really likes sweets and he is actually a fun loving person, so I think we can use that to our advantage."

"What we're gonna head to the local bakery and drop a basket of sweets in front of his hideout where ever that is?" Said Rin.

"Not really, though we could use that." Said Makoto opening the box and pulling out a giant stuffed penguin. "Or we could use this, he really loves penguins and I think this is probably enough for a fair trade for your sister Rin. If that doesn't work we'll add in the basket of sweets."

"Or you could give me the stuffed penguin and basket of sweets and tie a bow on my head and trade me for Gou." Haru suggested.

"No." Seijuurou and Rin rejected.

"But-!" Haru started.

"Haruka you're way too important to give up as a bargain. Trading you is out of the question." Said Seijuurou.

"He's right. It's why we've been running all of these years." Said Rin. Everyone was silent for a moment.

"I'm going outside." Said Haru.

"Don't talk to-." Rin started but Haru ended up slamming the door behind him.

"… It's settled then right? We give Nagisa the penguin and sweets?" Summarized Makoto.

"Yeah." Rin replied. "If he refuses then I'm gonna march in there and beat the shit out of him."

Haru sat behind the inn staring at his finger nails. He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Hey, do you mind if I sit with you?" He heard someone say. He turned to see Makoto standing behind him.

"Do what you want." He replied. Makoto smiled and sat next to him.

"I've noticed you seem pretty upset." He said.

"Really." Said Haru avoiding his gaze.

"Haruka…"

"Haru." Haru interrupted.

"Kay Haru, I'm just wondering, are you really the Merines?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah." Said Haru. "Kind of."

"What do you mean kind of?"

"Merines is just a formality." Sighed Haru. "I'm basically useless."

"I don't think that's exactly true." Said Makoto. "Around the time you came a pillar of light appeared and I saw your hair glow and from the looks of it you can defend yourself."

"Besides the self-defense how are the other two signs that I'm not useless?" Haru asked.

"You probably still can do something on the Legacy." Makoto speculated. "Maybe you can still control the most important parts." Haru's eyes widened and his mouth opened a little. "You know what they say, the smallest parts are often the most important." Haru turned away.

"… Thanks." He said then going back inside. Makoto went to his home shortly after.

Foreshadowing! Hopefully I didn't accidentally spoil anything.
About "Werites" It's a modern way of spelling "Weltes" which more or less means "Natural Spring."