It's my birthday month so time to unleash all the stories in the works. Both big and small.
I'm becoming more active on Discord so anyone just a fan of fanfiction, any of my current or future works, or just wanna vibe, come on through.
Discord - GZM5HRMntp
Harley
Fighting wasn't the worst but why was it that the route they were taking had nothing but monsters?
"Bahus, tag out." Harley groans, wiping at a bead of sweat. "I'm tired of shooting all these pesky bugs."
"Me?! I can't shoot when I manifest my form! I can barely do anything in my other forms!"
"Ugggggghhhh, how much fartheeeeeer?"
"Had a certain someone not gone the wrong direction not once, not twice, but thrice because they got distracted by an insect, maybe we would have been there by now."
"Hey, when a research idea calls, you never know when it will come again! Besides, I say it was worth the studying."
"It amazes me how topics not relating to Furies can still spur you forward." He chuckles.
"That's what it means to be a researcher, my dear Bahus. Anything, no matter how little, can be of great importance down the line."
"Yet your own hygiene doesn't stand on the same pedestal of importance…"
Ah, there it was. The same old spiel she'd heard for years.
She was fully aware of the care she had for herself. More so the lack thereof. Yet, she never went out with others, no one ever conversed with her. She would always be studying in the fields or working in whatever room she holed herself up in.
There simply wasn't a need to worry about such appearances. If she ever did go to any science-related meetings, she would somewhat make herself presentable.
"Not to mention your daily responsibilities are always forgotten…"
Research was important. The utmost of such. She could only write and study so much regarding simple topics and very little could be found on Furies so what she had to work with was limited at times. Hence why when something of such a high-value study sprouted, she had to stop everything else she was doing to capitalize on the moment before it vanished. Of course, to her partner, all of this sounded like one excuse after another whenever she tried to explain herself.
By this point, it was better to keep things short than explain. Bahus has been around her and she knew he meant well as did she when she prioritized work over more simple day-to-day responsibilities. This was simple their relationship and she truly did appreciate all that he put up with. If having to hear a few light-jabs and meddlesome remarks to get back at all she puts him through, then that wasn't bad at all.
"Not to mention-"
"Okaaaaaaaaaay, I get it! For the millionth time, Dad! Ugh, I can only take so much!" She groans before her pace quickens.
Scratch that! It was still very irksome!
"Heh, acting like a child in the face of advisory. What am I to do with you, Harley?"
Stopping a small distance away, a huff escapes her. Turning to look back at the Fury catching up at a leisurely pace, her pout softens into a chuckle.
"What would I be without you, Bahus?" She wonders quietly.
Like the many times she's questioned such sincere things, his words resurface.
"At this rate, you won't be able to find yourself any to wed."
Amongst the numerous retorts, self-reliant comments, and everything else, his mention of her taking care of herself and finding a suitable partner probably hailed as the two most often spoken about.
She wasn't unconscious of the ideas as she may act. She simply held no interest. To find someone who captivated her the same way her research did was like finding a needle in a continent while blindfolded. The chances of finding a guy that could fancy her interests were such a low probability so why would she bother?
"Well, would you look at that?" Following Bahus' gaze, her eyes widen at their destination far off in the distance. "Seems all those detours managed to get us closer."
"Hmpf, see? I told you it would all work out in the end!"
"You didn't even know that though…" He deadpans to sigh. "Well, it all worked out in the end I suppose."
"See?" She smacks his back sporting a grin. "That's the kind of mentality you need my dear, Bahus!"
"If I had that, who knows what would happen to you."
Jokes aside, in the city where possibilities flow from all directions anything could happen. So who knows, that low percentile was still a percentile. Anything could happen after all…
Marianna
Life was full of absurd occurrences and one needed to learn how to pass the trial before them if they wished to evolve past their inferior self. A perfect example was her own younger self prior to meeting Khalara as well as playing her first instrument.
Before meeting her Fury, she did not know the first thing about using a spear. She would lose her grip over and over during practice. With her musical arts, her fingers would ache from the sheer amount of force she used in hopes of recreating the same music her instructors showed off.
Marianna did not see herself as a perfect individual much less one who could be called a "perfectionist." Nothing was perfect. One could recreate a famous piece of art and somehow, somewhere, it would be different. Human beings down to their thumb print were not the same. Twins may look the same but that doesn't mean they are. Their very beings can contrast in so many ways from gender to preferences.
Where had this train of thought manifested from?
Well, following her departure, she had overheard a group of passersby praise her performance. They deemed it was "perfect." She did not at all despise such a praiseworthy compliment but she found that saying to be inaccurate at best.
There was always room for improvement. She had not yet reached such a pinnacle to where she could accept such a reality. Until that day came, she would continue to better herself and alleviate any darkness that swirled within one's heart. The best way she knew how. Whether that be through her music… or combat.
"Milady." Khalara spoke in a cautious tone.
"I know."
Halting their pace amongst the plains, her eyes needn't look to know they've attracted the attention of the common cretins that lived in the area.
Small dragons and slug monsters slowly surround the girl.
Putting her bag down, she does a quick count to find the little threat of only six monsters.
Extending a hand, Khalara is donned in a white sphere of light before it shifts to black and then purple. Gripping the light, its shape becomes that of a purple spear.
With a single step, she blurs into action.
Screeching in resistance, the first small dragon is quickly pierced before it can so much as react. Lifting her free hand to two more dive-bombing her, a green glyph appears.
"Cyclone." She commands for a funnel of wind to shape itself into a tornado ripping through the assailants.
Senses urging her to move, she does. In doing so, the spot she once stood now lays covered in goo. Lifting up, the snail creatures unleash another slow volley of the green ooze.
Simply shuffling her body out of the way, her hand goes to the sky as a purple glyph now forms.
"Cloudbolt." From the clear sky, two single bolts of lightning strike the foes. "That's five." Peering up to the remaining tiny dragon beating its wings, she flicks her spear for Khalara to manifest. "We're done here, Khalara."
"Roger that!"
Abandoning all need to fight, she waltzed over reclaiming her bag. Turning around, her eyes catch the monster launching a gust of razor wind. Opening her maw, a sphere of darkness fires like a beam through the attack as well as the creature. Exploding into a plume of particles, no traces of the creature remain.
"Hehehe, another victory for us! Well done, Milady."
"I keep telling you to call me Marianna." She deadpans for a smile to sprout. "Though joking aside, very nice work Khalara. I couldn't have done it without you."
"No one can beat us when we're together! Outnumbered but still no match!"
Giving a glance around to find the common monsters retreating a good distance, relief settles in.
"It seems we won't have to worry about any more monsters."
"Awwwwwe, I wanted to fight some more…!"
"In due time, Khalara. This is why I keep saying you should relish any fight you get into."
"Hmmm, next time I'll do that!"
Chuckling at the same response given who knows how many times, a sign catches her attention.
Dismissing themselves from the area, they continue along the path where before long, they come to the cusp of a hill.
"There it is…" She breathes.
"The place where you'll find true love!"
Before them where the lone trail leads lies Zelwinds City in all its glory.
Relon
"So what are we going to do about you know who, Ethel?"
"What do you mean?"
"Obviously regarding his love life! It was practically non-existent back on the island!"
"Shouldn't my love life be, oh I don't know, my own?"
"Relon Tarbin Lucinance, we both know that ever since I entered your lives, anything of yours has become ours."
Twitching an eye to sigh, he relents and resumes his reading.
"Hehehe, add another victory for me! What's my score, Ethel?"
Watching her best friend pull out one book before another until a few later, she finds the current one, she stops on a page jotting the update.
"12,254."
"Yay! I'm on a roll! Now, back to the matter at hand. Ahem, we don't want Relon to be all alone for the rest of his life right?" A shake comes. "Then while we're back in Zelwinds, we'll need to be on the lookout for a suitable partner!"
"You really don't-" Cut off by a finger to his lips as the wagon goes over a bump, he twitches once more in irritation.
"Shh, shh, shh. Leave everything to your darling sister and ever-faithful Fury, Relon! Unless of course… you develop feelings for me…" She mumbles, poking her index fingers together.
"Who knows, Karin? Maybe I already have." He smiles for the foxgirl to explode in red.
"H-H-H-Huh?! W-W-W-Wait, what do you mean by that?!"
"Another point for Big Brother."
Despite the jovial atmosphere, Relon was dead honest in his words. He joked, not like Karin and much more than Ethel, but he still meant a large portion of what he said.
Did he have romantic feelings for Karin? Not at this moment. Ever since stumbling upon her at a shrine all those years ago, they've remained inseparable ever since. Their bond only grew when he introduced her to Ethel. Those two practically became sisters overnight.
He wasn't a fool however. At least, he didn't see himself as one. He had just reached his twenties a few years ago. He was well adept in recognizing what made his heart stir. Whether a wholesome experience with the three as a family or the spur-of-the-moment flutter he felt from a feminine experience both directly and indirectly. Specifically with Karin or a random islander, he would converse.
Peering out the corner at Ethel calming Karin down, his eyes return to the book on the continent's lore. All of which he already knew. Karin was a lot of things. Honest, kind, beautiful; basically everything he would prefer in a partner. The issue lay in where they stood. They were partners. Not in the romantic sense but ever since forming their pact, he'd confidently say he understood a great deal about her and vice versa.
He'd seen all sides of her over the years. Varying levels of emotions such as first-hand embarrassment, happiness, sadness; so many more. More often than not, he saw her as just another sibling with how she acted with his actual sister, Ethel. However, in recent years, he's had moments where he saw her in a different light. Based on his own reactions to those situations, he'd hazard a guess as to his mind and body seeing her differently.
The way her outfits always held a colorful charm in tandem with her own aesthetics. Her adorable fox ears he'd tenderly caress to her enjoyment, the accepting atmosphere her voice carried, the love she held for Ethel; that alone would make anyone recognize her as a suitable candidate.
But… was that all there was to it?
Despite these feelings and this personal perspective on his Fury, why hadn't he done anything about it up until now? Ethel was one big reason. Should their relationship advance to the next level, what would become of their triangular bond? Would everything work out, would it become awkward? His sister stood above all else and Karin stood right up there next to the girl. Choosing one from the other was next to impossible.
The second issue lied in himself. He simply was unsure, and indecisive as to how to progress forward. Would talking it out be the proper step? Doing that could make things between them awkward and that rift could cause further issues down the line. Would he reveal such a thought to Ethel? He knew she wouldn't say anything but given how close the three are, would this revelation cause some sort of negative reaction?
Too many variables, both good and bad, lie in the act of moving forward with Karin.
"In the end, all I can do is wait and see." He muses.
"Huh? Did you say something, big brother?" Ethel tilts her head away from Karin, currently fanning herself.
"Nothing. Just musing aloud like usual."
Yeah… As things stood now, this was for the best until further notice…
"Hey, look!"
Discarding the book, he lifts up to take in the vibrant welfare that is the city.
"We've arrived!" Karin beams. "Our new life in Zelwinds City starts now!"
A/N: Trying a 3-way POV for this story. At times all will be together but other times they won't.