We're charging on ahead with this chapter. Hopefully it doesn't feel too rushed, but there was a lot of little plot hooks I wanted to throw out so I can reel in the next arc.
Yuuji learned that the people of Gainos preferred to celebrate the lives of those they'd lost, rather than mourn their deaths. It wasn't really any different from holding a wake and then a funeral like they often did on Earth, Gainos just skipped the funeral and ended the wake with a body on the bonfire.
Yuuji also learned that no one saw any issue in celebrating those safely returned, and those who had enabled that return, at the exact same time they honored those who couldn't be saved.
In short, two days after the dungeon rescue, Yuuji got to be a guest of honor at a wake despite still being alive.
… Though he actually had died once on the way there, come to think of it.
His first experience with alcohol (local mead made from local honey) in Gainos had left him with a strangely cavalier mindset about recent history. Probably the closest to a 'partying mood' that he'd ever manage, so it was probably fine.
But there was at least one person committed to him having fun, and she threw an arm around his shoulder, squishing his cheek against her barely covered breast in what was part hug part headlock.
"C'mon kid!" Risty laughed, leaning against him. "The last thing you should do with good mead is sip it!"
Saying so, she thunked her wooden mug against his and took a big swig, pleased to see Yuuji flash the hint of a smile and follow suit. Oh sure, Risty knew when she was being humored, but she also could tell he didn't mind the little nudge.
If he was a go with the flow type who just needed a little push first, Risty was fine with being a little pushy.
She definitely liked Yuuji, and it wouldn't be all that strange if after tonight, they never saw each other again.
And since she'd gotten the all clear, well…
Risty was going to go right ahead and make the night, and herself, as memorable for him as possible.
Claudette completely understood that being able to unwind was vital for morale. Not even Echidna herself, with what was quite possibly centuries of mercenary work, could remain on guard all the time.
Claudette understood all that, and treated herself accordingly, even if she was well aware she'd never be particularly good at unwinding or letting loose.
It wasn't as if she was unaccustomed to attending parties and balls and the like, but being a bastard child meant that the more public and prestigious the event, the more it became something for her to endure, rather than enjoy. That remained true even long after having piled up enough achievements that few dared try to make a fool of her in public.
But that was far from being 'welcome', and with that in mind, she much preferred more informal celebrations such as this. Here, there was no dress code, no need to put on airs, and it was hard to put into words how much she appreciated that.
Just as she appreciated how the villagers had tried their very best to make her feel welcome without being too pushy about the whole business, and being able to prove to her comrades that yes, she could indeed hold her drink.
The end result of that had been both immensely humorous and immensely flattering- puzzled as to why Yuuji alone out of her temporary companions wasn't surprised at all by her ability to drink mead like water, she had given voice to her curiosity, only to receive an immediate and mildly morbid response.
"You seem like the type of commander who dies with her troops. They always know how to drink."
The reason she'd laughed hard despite feeling so flattered was that somehow, she could tell the near expressionless young man was genuinely praising her with his words. Mild inebriation didn't make him anymore expressive, though, and it was a daunting task to determine if someone as blunt as a hammer had grown more candid in his speech.
And yet, if the lively night had already been such a delightful experience for her, why then had Claudette been among the first to slip away?
Because the last time she'd been able to safely (and freely) enjoy herself during a 'celebration' of sorts had been a private 'sending off party' with her dear sisters, in the privacy of her room.
It was truly a shame that a cherished memory could spoil the party for her.
She had kept her real mission from them, kept how it may have been the very last night the three Vance sisters were all together.
She was to fight in the Queen's Blade tournament, and victory was Claudette Vance's only means of survival.
Should she fight and lose, regardless of whether she lost her life, Claudette 'Vance' would be no more.
Such was her Lord Father's decree.
A self-deprecating laugh escaped as Claudette realized how easily she had failed at 'winding down'. So much for celebrating, there she was, seated on the edge of the village wall, staring out into the plains while her breasts were fondled from behind.
… Slowly, Claudette let her gaze trail downwards to find a pair of slender tanned hands making a spirited attempt to avail themselves of her assets, despite the metal brassiere in their way.
Woodenly, she directed her gaze over one shoulder to find Echidna staring innocently back, her hands not ceasing their movement for a moment.
"... Some of the best tits I've groped in years," Echidna stated, truthfully but with a hint of a slur. "And there's been a lot of those in my life."
A smile spread slowly across Claudette's lips, and she was still wearing that smile when she tossed the inebriated elf off the village wall.
Being ambiguous about their relationship had worked so far, but Yuuji appreciated that Echidna hadn't been ambiguous about the night- the meaning of her giving him two thumbs up and a grin had been made pretty blatant when Risty threw her arm around him a moment later.
This didn't explain why he had ended up dancing with half the village girls close in age to him (who were also the single ones, he suspected), but passing him around between dance partners seemed to have turned into a game of sorts.
He didn't really mind if it meant he could help make some good memories, though it seemed his current dance partner hadn't realized she was part of the game.
"You are… quite comfortable with this, aren't you?" Claudette said with clear interest, as they twirled arm in arm.
"I don't want to brag," Yuuji deadpanned, "but I'm pretty good at spinning in circles."
The laugh didn't quite escape past her lips, but Claudette's shoulders weren't shaking because of the dance.
Following the cues of the other partygoers, Yuuji twirled Claudette away from him and into the arms of a village girl, who flushed red when the violet-haired general confidently took the lead.
"Good work," Yuuji told his current dance partner.
Echidna just winked, and pressed in a little closer, the hand at the small of his back smoothly drifting lower and lower. Yuuji didn't change his expression at all as he returned the favor.
By the time the current round of dances was done, he'd danced with each of his dungeon companions, twice.
Claudette was the only dance partner where there was no groping involved… except for when she took a brief turn with Echidna.
And he'd been given the go-ahead, so… when he danced his way out of the firelight, he didn't do so alone.
"I'm a bit surprised you're letting that happen," Claudette admitted, her gaze lingering on a gap between two buildings.
"What can I say, I don't mind sharing," Echidna shrugged.
"That is precisely what I mean," the violet-haired woman said. "I expected you to be 'sharing' as you put it."
Echidna blinked once and then burst into laughter.
She knew that it would probably come as a shock to those familiar with her, but she did in fact know how to put business before pleasure. Break time ended when the booze ran dry, it seemed.
… That, and the two days since their little adventure had included several hours (a day) of sex with Yuuji, so she didn't really feel too bad about missing out.
"Have a hunch it'll be a while before the next time I get to sleep in a bed," Echidna said with a languid, "so I figure I'll try actually sleeping in it tonight."
Claudette's expression was impassive, the innuendo washing over her as she registered the full meaning of the wild elf's words.
And so Echidna's next sentence came as no surprise.
"So, gonna tell me what that messenger bird from this morning has to do with me?"
Eyes widened with pleasant surprise grew heavy-lidded with pleasure as Risty felt her lips sealed, and her mouth, invaded by an assertive tongue. She was pretty sure she wasn't the one pinned to the wall a second ago, but hell if Yuuji didn't kiss as good as he looked.
Even her low hum of appreciation sounded a little slurred as she hooked a toned, tanned leg around Yuuji's hip, grinding lightly against him. Yuuji rocked against her in turn, making Risty gasp as the stiff heat he had pressed up against her thong asserted its presence.
Breath ragged as they broke the kiss after several steamy minutes, Risty put her hands on Yuuji's chest and slowly pushed to make space between them.
Just enough space so that Yuuji had the best view possible when a little strap came undone, and her tits spilled the rest of the way out of her vest. Risty egged him on with a smirk, and Yuuji met her unspoken challenge by going straight for the boobs.
Risty had to bite her lip hard to keep her voice contained when the kid took her breasts in hand, squished them together enough that her nipples were almost touching, all in order to be able to suck on both tits at the same time.
Yuuji lifted his head and flashed her a smirk- if he hadn't been ready for her to jolt against him, Risty might have knocked him on his ass with nothing but her boobs.
Cheeks flushed but eyes bright with both lust and delight, Risty seized him by both cheeks and brought their lips crashing together for a brief but aggressive makeout, 'asserting herself' with just as much energy, while dropping one hand to undo Yuuji's belt.
Somewhere along the way, it had become a bit of a game to see who would let their voices out first, a nice and sexy little game for getting frisky while still basically in public.
This time, when Risty used a hand to make Yuuji back up, her other hand had finished working its magic, letting her get a good look at what he was packing beneath those buckskin breeches.
… Shit, he really was gonna hit deep, huh?
Wearing a bold and sexy smirk all the while, Risty turned her back on Yuuji, bent over, planted a hand against the wall, and used the other to trace the big, juicy curve of her barely covered ass.
Before hooking her thong and tugging it to one side, just to give Yuuji a good view of how absolutely soaked she was.
Fingers sinking into wide, round hips as Yuuji took hold and lined up, he leaned over Risty, hot breath tickling against her ear as the tip of his cock pushed against her entrance. Judging that she was wet enough that they didn't need to take it slow, Yuuji nipped her ear, helpfully put a hand over Risty's mouth to avoid the game ending early, and slammed his hips forward.
The first blissful scream was muffled just enough that they probably weren't going to get caught, but after that, Yuuji took his hand away for a better grip on Risty's hips.
Risty eventually 'lost' the game by speaking first after he'd pulled out long enough to paint her shaking ass white.
"My room, now."
Truthfully, they'd both forgotten the game by that point anyways, but getting to see each other naked was a lot more interesting anyways, so who could blame them?
Ready and eager to go on the counter attack, their clothing had barely hit the floor before Risty had pushed Yuuji into a sitting position, and settled in between his legs with her fat tanned tits in his lap.
… Her plan to make the night unforgettable was a roaring success.
Risty had probably intended to slip away in the morning, which explained her surprise at the direct eye contact when she lifted her head off his chest.
"I'll be honest, I think the bed put in the most work," Risty grinned.
"Hero in its own right," Yuuji agreed. Neither of them had been gentle when they were on top.
"Think I'm gonna be strolling slow for the first half of the morning, but at least the roads are nice," by dirt-road standards, anyway.
Yuuji idly stroked her hip, reading between the lines but not feeling the need to comment. She really didn't need to make it clear that a one night stand only lasted one night, but Risty seemed to appreciate not needing to.
Smiling as they both got up, found their clothes (team effort) and got dressed (also team effort), Risty bumped her hip into his and flashed him a wink.
"Good working with you kid, I'll buy you a drink if the road ever takes us to the same place."
"Then next round's on me," Yuuji agreed with a slight smile.
Their parting wasn't nearly as wild as the rest of the time they'd spent together, but neither minded.
Neither really expected to cross paths again either, but if that changed, then neither of them would mind that, either.
Yuuji lingered at the door to his and Echidna's room, not because of any sort of hesitance, but because Echidna was just making it back as well, coming up the stairs and down the hall.
Unusual for the two of them, it was Yuuji who spoke first.
"The lady know she was a lesbian at the start of the night?"
Echidna shrugged and smirked. "She does now."
With a brief snort, Yuuji entered the room, missing the wry hint of regret tinging the smile at his back, as he went over to stroke the chin of the big venomous reptile coiled up on the bed.
"Sorry Hot Stuff, but something came up. Gonna have to part ways a little sooner than intended." She said, leaning against the door once it closed behind them.
She had both a contract and a promise to honor, and a little too much baggage tied to both to drag Yuuji into it.
A pair of keen dark eyes stared at her for a long moment, leaving her a little grateful that she'd apparently said enough.
"I was planning to head to the capital anyways," Yuuji admitted. It was quite possibly the biggest city in the world from what he'd gathered, and despite his dislike of crowds, he was pretty curious to see what the biggest city in a fantasy world looked like.
Curious enough he kind of felt like he was acting out of character.
Or maybe he'd managed to pay attention to both his teachers just enough to actually give other ways of living a shot, who could say?
"Capital, huh?" Echidna said, her smile widening. "That'll make the touching reunion easier."
"I'd be more surprised if our reunion didn't involve touching." Yuuji dryly admitted, earning a laugh of agreement from the wild elf.
Just like that planned reunion, their farewells involved a good deal of touching… and not a whole lot of speaking, but that suited the two just fine. It was closer to lunch than breakfast when the two actually made it down to the common room, and when they did, they found a violet-haired beauty waiting patiently for them to arrive.
Claudette decided to pretend she hadn't seen the expression Echidna wore on her face when the elf glanced between her protege and the general.
Whatever the wild elf was planning certainly involved a good deal of mischief, and-
"So, I noticed that both of you are traveling in the same direction," Echidna led with, before Claudette could say a word.
… Reluctantly, Claudette found herself remembering that it wasn't the first time she'd benefited from the keen mind of the Veteran Mercenary.
For discussing travel plans, it had been a kind of weird conversation, Yuuji would later reflect.
"If we are indeed traveling in the same direction, I would be more than willing to share the road with you, if that is agreeable?"
"Sure, you're good company."
He didn't think he'd said anything strange, but Claudette had seemed a little shocked by his words.
She recovered quickly enough though, flashing a warm hint of a smile.
"... I see. I will look forward to the journey, then." It felt like it had been a long time since she'd been able to say that. It had also been a long time since her company was welcomed for reasons not tied to her station nor her reputation… she supposed it was possible that Yuuji had one of those two things in mind, but…
Claudette gave Yuuji a surreptitious glance, as the elf draped across him occupied his attention.
No, the idea that the young man might have been using her was foolish, and quickly discarded. Not just for the glimpses of character she'd seen during their brief time as comrades-in-arms, but… mostly because she could not shake the idea that Yuuji would view such things as more trouble than they were worth.
… And he would not be… wholly incorrect.
"So your old man has you fighting in the big tournament, huh?" Echidna said out of nowhere, as if merely waiting for her to be distracted (which she had been).
"Indeed, I am to represent the honor of the House of Vance in the Queen's Blade," Claudette dutifully replied, drawing herself up a bit.
"I guess I'll have to cheer you on then," Yuuji said casually, though he was mostly just glad for being ineligible by virtue of gender.
Claudette froze in her seat, and Echidna snickered for some reason.
… Was it that strange he was willing to cheer a friend on? He could even do it from the comfort of his room, since you could watch the tournament in any part of the world because of angel magic nonsense or something.
Yuuji didn't know it, but it actually was that strange for Claudette to know that someone who wasn't her sibling or subordinate was cheering her on.
"Is that so? I will have to fight my very hardest then, to avoid disappointing the audience." And for the first time, Claudette could speak a line like that with a light heart.
Though she had yet to realize it, Claudette had been smiling more than usual, those past few days. Smiling freely was usually something she could only indulge in when alone with her beloved sisters.
She was also unaware that Echidna hadn't even known what Claudette's laugh sounded like before Yuuji had entered the picture.
It was no small part of why Echidna had been eager to foist them off on each other, with the rest of the reason being a gut feeling that she wasn't ready to examine too deeply yet, but involved making sure those two weren't alone for extended periods of time.
How much Echidna truly cared about those two would remain a mystery, even to her, for some time yet.
Echidna had never liked goodbyes, but you got a little numb to them when everyone you even kind of liked would be old, and gray, before you felt like a year was up.
With that in mind, she skipped a lot of the boring nonsense and well-wishes like 'be safe', or 'let's meet again soon', and cut right to the heart of things, both hands on Yuuji's cheeks as she stared deeply into his eyes, determined to fully convey her seriousness.
"Yuuji, listen carefully," Echidna said, her words slow and laden with meaning. "If you sleep with the Vance girl, I expect details. Details, and a bit of nudging towards the idea of a threesome."
After a moment of silence, Yuuji gave a helpless sigh while wearing just the hint of a smile. It wasn't like he was planning on sleeping with Claudette, but the same was true of every woman in Gainos he'd slept with.
"Understood." He'd never really liked goodbyes either, so the kiss Echidna opted for instead of further words suited him just fine.
Echidna didn't see them off at the gates because there was a crowd to do that, and Yuuji and Claudette made great distractions so that a crowd wouldn't try and see her off, either.
Not that she really needed to go far for company, Keltan aside…
"Happened to overhear you and the general chatting away, the night before," Risty said, casually reclining against a warm rock with her shield strapped to her arm, and her morningstar leaning against her leg.
"I had no idea," Echidna put a hand over her mouth in feigned surprise.
"Bet you didn't," Risty laughed, weapon hefted onto her shoulder as she pushed away from the rock. "No hard feelings by the way."
She just had a soft spot for anyone trying to get out from underneath a noble's thumb. Even if the one doing the trying was also a noble, Leina was one of those rare good sorts, and didn't really have much in the way of allies right now.
Echidna shrugged as her sword and shield found their way into her hands.
"No hard feelings," Echidna agreed- it involved both work, and a promise made to a previous generation that she was going to uphold in her own way.
It wasn't like fighting someone you worked with a few days ago was all that strange for a mercenary, though truthfully, Echidna had a hunch that her and Risty could skip the fight by talking things out.
… Which sounded boring, so with that in mind…
Kicking up dust, a storm wind on a cloudless day brought steel clashing together.
Yuuji was truly surprised how good it felt to be back on the road.
It felt like… the moment the walled town was no longer visible, some unseen burden had been lifted from his shoulders… even though he'd actually kind of liked the place.
Sure, he wouldn't have minded spending more time with his newfound companions, but at least with Echidna and Keltan, it was a temporary parting.
Risty he didn't expect to see again, but with the other two… he was pretty sure what he planned or expected didn't really factor into Echidna's plans at all.
He didn't mind that, either.
He did wonder how long it would take for him to really miss them… it had taken this long for him to realize he missed Alleyne.
She had told him to wait one year at the minimum before returning, and it was with a sort of self-deprecating amusement that Yuuji found himself making plans to not take a day longer than that.
Maybe it was because the idea of a lonely Alleyne was fundamentally offensive in some way, but Yuuji couldn't help but indulge in the naive hope that she would remember to take time for more than just her duties.
But even still, his heart remained light. Maybe it was the new journey, the chance to get to know his new companion better, or it could have even just been the warm summer breeze.
It didn't really matter, but for the first time in memory, Yuuji felt just a little hopeful about the future.
Standing on a tall hill with the summer sun at her back, she shielded her eyes, gazing off into the distance with the supernaturally keen eyes she'd inherited from her mother. A gasp of awe was lost to the breeze, as she took in the verdant green decorating the distant horizon.
"Look, Lou, look!" She shouted in delight. "I can see it, I can see it!"
From his perch on her shoulder, Lou chittered in happiness, pointing with one little finger in imitation of her.
The forest where Mama grew up was just on the horizon, she couldn't wait to see it for herself!
… Even if Mama's people didn't want anything to do with her, she could still see it for herself!
Optimistic even when she had very little reason to be, Nowa slid down the hill with the monkey that was her only friend in all the world hopping off her shoulder to race alongside her.
Racing off towards the Forest of the Elves, and a chance to be with her mother's people.
Her dearly departed mother had warned her that elves were none too accepting of half-elves, but… the only elf Nowa had even met in her fifty five years of life was also her mother.
There was simply no way she could properly understand what elves thought of half-elves without seeing it for herself.
And see it she would.
It wasn't as if she and Lou had anywhere else to go, after all.
Claudette was fully aware that she was likely overthinking things.
That what she kept catching glimpses of, out of the corner of her eye, was ostensibly a good sign.
In fact, she was rather exasperated with herself over the whole state of affairs.
It was just… Yuuji had done more smiling in that twenty minutes of walking than she had seen him do the entire time she had known him.
A time which could be counted in days, but had included an actual celebration, where he was among the guests of honor.
She was absolutely certain she was overthinking things, but the wholly unwelcome thought had resurfaced that 'unusual displays of emotion often hinted at trauma' (a tidbit learned in the course of learning better ways to manage troop morale on a more individual level), and now she simply could not get it out of her head!
Which brought Claudette to the heart of the matter- naturally, she did not wish to simply ignore a potential sign of her companion's struggles, but that had mainly served to alert Claudette to a glaring flaw in her social acumen- she hadn't the faintest idea of how to make someone 'open up' unless they were her sister!
In fact, most often, she did not even need to 'encourage' Leina or Elina to open up. No, when something bothered them, they would leap into her arms of their own accord, the moment they were safe from the public eye.
... Or at least, it had once been so, in those younger, happier days.
It was not as if she could merely tell Yuuji 'jump into big sister's arms'... or simply command him to break his silence, even though she had overheard that some of her subordinates were oddly fond of being ordered around by her…
No, that was neither here nor there, it was her total inability to devise a way to get Yuuji to open up that plagued her so!
For all she knew, he could be suffering in silence at this very moment, crying out silently for help in a voice she was too deaf to hear.
"I know the roads are well-maintained and all, but maybe look where you're going at least a little?" Yuuji said in a dry voice. He wasn't in a hurry or anything, but that didn't mean he was keen to carry Claudette back to the village after she'd sprained her ankle.
Claudette jolted a little from surprise as the silence was broken, but recovered so smoothly that her near-stumble was almost imperceptible.
"Pardon me," she replied with the hint of a wry smile. "There are simply just… a great many things on my mind."
Yuuji gave a brief hum of acknowledgement before resuming his normal pace, pulling ahead slightly.
For a moment, Claudette thought their brief interaction would end with just that, but-
"Not sure if talking to me about it will do any good, but we've got a lot of time on our hands if you feel like speaking up."
Claudette stopped walking entirely as she found herself gaping wide-eyed at Yuuji's retreating back.
There she was, clumsily wracking her brains in an attempt to encourage Yuuji to confide with her, and the result was… him making the offer first?
After the gap between them had stretched to about twenty paces, Yuuji looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.
Averting her gaze swiftly with a fist pressed to her lips, Claudette waved Yuuji on, following behind with hasty steps. As Claudette struggled to contain her mirth at having her own foolishness so starkly laid bare, Thunderclap's half-sheath bounced noisily.
Mercifully, Yuuji said nothing as the general caught up to him with long strides, and Claudette helplessly resolved herself to give up on her efforts until after they'd made camp.
The rest of the day passed without incident.
… For them.
"AHAHAHA!"
"Is this really the time to be laughing!?"
"Save your breath for running, Lady Tomoe!"
"I do not wish to hear that from you, Shizuka-san!"
Even vaulting a fallen tree didn't throw off that rhythmic sound of merriment as Shizuka's bright laughter continued without pause.
The mainland was just so much fun!
First, they'd been blown miles off course trying to cross the bay and get to Gainos proper, and then, because they were basically southeast from the capital anyways, she'd suggested they go a little further west, so they could skirt the desert, and hit the famous hot springs on the way, and now…
Well, she'd never been chased down a mountain by a stampede before!
Sure, they might get trampled to death, but it's not like panicking was gonna help!
"Lady Tomoe?" Shizuka called over the encroaching noise of thundering hooves.
"Yes, Shizuka-san?" Tomoe replied with far too much calm, or perhaps just resignation.
"We can't outrun them, we can't go around them, so…"
Kinda flattering that she was being taken seriously, even though she was still grinning like a jackass.
"So let's do something crazy!"
Kinda impressive she could hear Lady Tomoe's sigh over all the ruckus.
Riding their way to safety led them even further west than they'd planned, but hey, the qualifiers hadn't even started yet so it wasn't like they were short on time.
… While secretly admiring her friend's unflappable nature, Tomoe found herself thinking that the mainland was far, far too busy for her tastes.
And to think, they were nowhere near the capital yet.
Tomoe was forced to admit that Shizuka's plans for a hot spring detour may have become less of a detour, and more of a necessity, which eased her guilt at taking a 'detour' at all when so much was at stake.
She could not shake the fear that her shoulders were far too slender to bear the weight of her people's hopes.
… And she may have considered giving up entirely, if Tomoe had known that her journey hadn't truly encountered any serious complications yet.
Beneath the twinkling, mirthful eyes of the heavens, the affairs of the earth below grew ever more lively.
With a smile, Claudette used one hand to keep Yuuji's back pressed against the stone as she leaned in. "It would seem that I have you at a disadvantage-" something hard tapped meaningfully against her thigh, and Claudette's eyes widened in impressed delight. "... a mutual disadvantage, so I believe the match ends in a draw. Most impressive."
The knife resting against her leg could be every bit as lethal as the sword tip tickling Yuuji's throat. Mutual destruction was all but assured, at least if that destruction had ever been sought at all.
They lowered their weapons in unison as Claudette stepped away, immensely pleased with the result of their light (three round) spar.
Holding back though she may have been, it was by far the fastest a younger warrior had managed to bring her to a draw- even the energetic bundle of talent that was her youngest sister had taken three months, not three rounds to get that far.
He'd get no rest at all around Elina if she knew, which was a charming mental image, both for her sister's exuberance, and the put-upon expression she could already picture on Yuuji's face.
Truth be told, she imagined Leina would have no trouble getting along with the young mercenary either, so perhaps if he ever wished for more stable employment, an invitation could be extended?
"Little better than I expected," Yuuji remarked quietly, leaning against the boulder he'd been pinned against moments before. He'd expected to lose all three rounds, after all.
"It was a good match, and conditions willing, I'd like to do this on a regular basis as we travel. In the meantime, would you accept a few pointers?" Claudette asked carefully. It was an offer made in good faith, but she was aware a warrior's pride was not so straightforward-
"Please," Yuuji answered without the slightest hesitation (or inflection, but she was growing accustomed to that). "On both counts."
Claudette's carefully neutral expression gave way to a pleased smile as she found herself thinking, not for the first time, that perhaps the journey before them would not feel so long at all.
"Very well, would you take your stance for a moment, please?"
Kazami Yuuji was very quickly turning into precisely the sort of distraction that Claudette Vance needed from her growing mountain of worries.
And for just a while, the worries involving him specifically slipped free from her mind.
On the second day of their journey, they nearly didn't make it past the Great Border Wall.
Not because of any trouble, but because Claudette had expected to return to the Wall in order to resume command, not leave it behind entirely.
And so she reviewed troop placements, took stock of munitions and made sure that any resupply requests would go through in her name, to expedite them as much as possible. Generally ensuring that everything was as prepared as possible for her unexpected leave of absence.
For his part, though Yuuji was treated as a respected guest, mostly just observed the going-ons of the outpost without getting underfoot.
… And avoiding snapping to attention when Claudette, or any of the other CO's (not that anyone but him used that term) belted out orders, because it hadn't really been all that long since Yuuji had been properly employed with Ichigaya.
Or at least, not all that long for him… he'd been in Gainos for almost four months now, but there was no way of knowing how long being shipped over from Earth to Gainos had taken.
A knock on the door snapped him out of his curious musings, and one of the pretty soldiers who'd been checking him out earlier entered the room, wearing a professional smile.
"Pardon me, Kazami," the woman said after giving a brief bow. "The General wishes for you to join her for a late lunch, if that's agreeable for you?"
"Sure, lead on." Yuuji said, rising from the surprisingly comfortable couch in the reception room.
Though it was predominantly a military emplacement, the Wall did have a framework in place for accepting guests of status, given that the distance between Vance's border and the first Gainos settlement was several days' hard ride.
The soldier led him through the winding stone halls, taking a special point to be in front of him at all times. Truth be told, though he was a little surprised to see women wearing practical combat gear, given his experiences so far, even if he ignored that the women (which made up about two-thirds of who he'd seen) were wearing mini-skirts.
Hard to argue that bare legs had decent mobility, anyways.
Rank-and-file Vance gear was somewhat similar to what Greek hoplites wore- black sculpted breastplates (extra fitted in the lady's case, since busty was default it seemed), paired with matching bracers and greaves, with open-faced helmets. Blending time periods a bit, European-style longswords were standard, as well as longbows and halberds.
None of this explained the extra sway in his escort's hips, but it wasn't like he minded the view.
He also didn't mind the gossip and giggles that seemed to linger in their trail, which made sense after it became apparent that Claudette had invited him to her quarters for that late lunch.
The door guards seemed to think it was very important for him to know that the general's door locked from the inside, and that they wouldn't be disturbed during their meal. Giggles drifted through the sturdy oaken door as it closed behind him, and Yuuji decided he hadn't noticed the hint of color on Claudette's cheeks.
That operations moved this smoothly yet the soldiers were comfortable enough to have a little fun at their commander's expense, spoke well of the soldiers and commanders both.
"Forgive me, Yuuji, I did not anticipate quite so many things needing my attention here, but it is not something I can put off," Claudette said with a grimace. "Please, take a seat."
Lunch was a simple affair of meat, bread, and cheese, but it was good fuel for a long walk so he couldn't say he minded, though, question was…
"So, are we going to make it back onto the road today?" Yuuji asked after they finished eating.
"... There is nothing more that requires my attention," Claudette began, slowly, "but it is well past mid day, and though the day is long, given the season, we may need all of it and more in order to find a suitable place to set up camp were we to head out tonight. It would perhaps be best if we spent the night, and departed in the morning."
Inwardly, Claudette cringed a little as she was met with impassive silence.
Truth be told, she would much rather they took their chances on the road- it was true that the weather could turn at any moment, but not so swiftly that blue sky as far as the eye could see would suddenly cloud over-
"We've still got what, five, six hours before there's nothing above our head but stars?" Yuuji pointed out. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather take advantage of the clear skies while we can."
Or rather, he didn't care, but Claudette hadn't quite managed to hide her disappointment over the delay. It wasn't like he could make an elegant excuse believable, so he didn't mind being a little 'selfish' if it made things easier for his traveling companion.
"I see," Claudette said after a moment, with a brief smile. "I have delayed us long enough, I suppose, so I shan't do so any longer."
And... she may have already arranged travel provisions for two.
Yuuji excused himself not long after to go and fetch his gear, and the only indication that he'd heard her softly spoken 'thank you' was a brief lingering at the open door.
Alone once more, Claudette let out a long and happy sigh, somewhat shocked at herself for how eager she was to take to the road once more, yet determined to chase that sensation for as long as it lasted.
The feeling grew all the sweeter yet even more incomprehensible as the towering Great Wall shrank away in their wake.
Despite the fact that she was embarking on a mission to fulfill the favor of being treated as a member of nobility despite her lowly birth, despite the fact that failure carried more weight than ever before…
Upon the open road, Claudette felt freer than any bird.
Truly, the greatest challenge of their second day upon the road was stopping her feet from carrying her all through the night.
But above and beyond even that was gratitude.
Gratitude towards her all-but silent companion, who had indulged the selfishness she was so rarely permitted.
With all of that said… could anyone blame Claudette for handling it poorly when her blissful little journey was interrupted all too soon?
Even if it almost led to her doing something she could never, ever take back?
On the third day, the duo soon discovered that walking well into the previous night had arguably worked out for the best, as they left open country and darted beneath the forest canopy with heavy rainfall driving at their heels.
To Yuuji's surprise, even as they heard the storm roaring above their heads, the forest floor remained relatively dry- the trees resembled oak, as far as Yuuji could tell, and they were tall with high, but incredibly dense canopies that kept the rain well at bay, yet left little in the way of undergrowth.
"We call them emerald oaks," Claudette told him with a soft smile. "A bit of an ostentatious name I will admit, but it's owed to how their leaves never change color, simply growing a brighter and brighter shade of green throughout the year. 'Until at last they fall sparkling in the autumn sun, like leafy stars drifting gently from the heavens above'."
"Poetic."
"Those words aren't my own," Claudette admitted with a hint of mischief in her voice. "Leina was always rather fond of green growing things, why, not a flower in the garden bloomed without her hand in the process."
Unlike herself, Leina was a proper noble, despite her adventurous streak. Despite being a count's daughter, there were no small number of who referred to the heir of the Vance family as 'the princess of Vance'.
And yet, she'd cast it all aside to go on an adventure, and thus the sisters were scattered, perhaps this time for good.
Whatever was Leina thinking?
Despite all the love and adoration she had been showered with, why couldn't the love of her people, the love of her family be enough for her?
Claudette could not understand it… and with an ugly sort of clarity, she realized that she did not want to understand it.
"... hell of a scowl you're wearing, you hate rain that much?"
Suddenly, the storm above was a mirror of her own heart.
"-oi, what's gotten into you?"
Tumultuous but impotent.
And yet when a familiar scream echoed its way off the sturdy oaken trunks, Claudette bolted forward so quickly, that an armored shoulder gouged its way through a tree trunk that had been fool enough to block her path.
The companion she was quickly growing to cherish all but forgotten.
"... And I thought you were the calm one, dammit."
With a long, drawn out sigh, Yuuji took off after the wrecking ball that had just left him behind.
Today was not her day- she'd spent the whole day lost in the woods, which was actually not so bad because she didn't get rained on- until a peal of thunder made her jump out her skin, and sent her sliding straight down a wet grassy hill, shrieking all the way.
… Well, at least her bruised butt wasn't covered in mud, because that would be embarrassing even when there was no one around to-
"LEINA!"
A desperate shout thundered through the trees, far surpassing the sound of actual thunder as the the thick bush to her left practically exploded when a violet-topped blur blitzed right through it and came skidding into the clearing with a huge, darkly gleaming sword clasped tight, violet eyes searching wildly, and-
"B-big Sister!?" Leina half-screamed, as she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Claudette despite being days away from home.
"Leina, are you alright, are you hurt anywhere- what are…!" with a long, shuddering breath, Claudette closed her eyes, forcibly calming herself. "What… in the name of the Goddess, are you doing all the way out here?"
Her attempts to calm herself splendidly failed as she found herself looking down on her beloved, wayward sister… wearing her mother's armor and with her mother's sword on her belt.
The arms and armor of Maria Vance, Leina and Elina's mother, who had treated Claudette as her own… though Leina filled out the armor a good deal more than its original wearer, Leina was nevertheless the spitting image in both features and temperament. It played no small part in why their Lord Father doted on her so.
"... No, it does not matter," Claudette said coldly, even as her eyes roamed her sister's body for any injuries, a pang in her heart at every scrape she laid eyes on, slight though they were. "You can explain everything on the way back home."
"I'm not going back!" Leina protested, scrambling to her feet. "You can't… you don't have to take me back, Claudette! This might be my only chance to fight in the Queen's Blade, to follow in Mother's footsteps!"
"Fight in the Queen's Blade?" Claudette scoffed. "Leina, you aren't even trained to fight to begin with!" Father had never allowed the heir apparent to wield a blade. "Do you really think that a mere wish is enough to take on the greatest warriors in all the land!? Do you think… do you think your mother would wish for you to throw your life away, chasing her memory?"
Leina took a half step back, eyes widened in shock, and Claudette felt her heart lurch even more strongly, as moisture gathered in the corner of those clear blue eyes.
What on earth was she thinking… yes, Leina was being foolish, but what good was lambasting her over it, when it was blessing enough that Leina remained in one piece?
Claudette did not understand it at the time, but the sense of freedom she had felt upon the open road was not without its dangers. She had been suppressing far too much, for far too long. Her joys and her sorrows, her hopes and her frustrations.
All it took was one chaotic week absolutely riddled with twists and turns, and the brewing storm in her heart was ready to thunder forth for all the world to see.
"... If…" Leina closed her eyes, took a long, shuddering breath, and then met Claudette's stormy gaze with steel in her own as her mother's sword slid from its sheath. "If I show you that I'm taking this seriously… will you… will you trust me enough to give me a chance?"
… Trust? What good was trust to a corpse?
"... Very well, Leina." Claudette said in a low voice. "If… indulging you is what it takes to make you see sense, then so be it. So be it."
Resting Thunderclap across her shoulder, Claudette coldly beckoned with her other hand.
Suddenly nervous, now that the gravity of pointing Mother's sword at her sister in the heat of the moment caught up to her, Leina's lunge was cautious, yet surprisingly skillful given that all of her 'practice' came from secretly imitating what she'd seen.
Without the slightest change in expression, Claudette slapped the flat of Leina's sword with nearly enough force to tear it from her grasp.
Shock and fear flickered across Leina's face, but rather than make her heart bleed like it should have, something twisted in Claudette's gut.
"Tell me you aren't shaken with just this," Claudette sternly demanded.
No fleeting dream was worth Leina's life. Nothing was worth Leina getting herself killed over it, and if Claudette needed to play the villain to prevent it, then so be it.
Such was the lie she told herself.
Leina came back up with a sharp backhanded slash that Claudette effortlessly backstepped.
But to her shock, Leina smoothly followed through with an overhead chop, and though Claudette dodged that as well-
Sparks flew as a slight shift in grip lent an extra inch of reach, the tip of Leina's sword scraping across Claudette's metal bikini top to send her breasts bouncing wildly in response.
Gritting her teeth and covering her bust with one arm on reflex, a red-faced Claudette swiped out with Thunderclap, bringing the flat crashing against Leina's raised shield, and all but knocking her younger sibling to the ground.
If she had wished to, she could have stepped forward and put the tip of her blade to Leina's throat, ending the unwanted match right then and there.
But she did not, merely taking a proper stance and gripping Thunderclap in both hands.
Leina rose to her feet, and took a stance of her own.
It was… passable.
Though she was the only one of the siblings not properly trained, truthfully, both she and Elina knew that Leina had it in her to be the best of them.
Leina had inherited in spades the monstrous talent that had made Maria Vance the favorite to win in the Queen's Blade.
And yet Maria Vance had not won the Queen's Blade.
She hadn't even made it to the qualifiers, despite being the finest warrior Vance had ever seen.
What hope did Leina have, that blasted tournament was a death sentence, and only one of them needed to die for it!
The realization struck her like lightning, leaving her breathless when the 'fight' at hand was a trivial exertion.
… That was it.
That was the truth behind the frantic rage that had seemingly swept in from nowhere to drive her insane.
She was not prepared to die in the Queen's Blade… she was expecting to die in the Queen's Blade.
She, Claudette, had resigned herself to being a sacrifice, and the most-loved of all the Vance siblings was racing towards that fate of her own volition.
Numbly, she was aware that the battle continued on. That Leina's blows grew sharper and more spirited with every exchange,
That the reality of it all was that it was a battle pitting Leina's naive dreams against her own pointless doom.
There was simply no way she could face that with composure.
It was too much at once.
She was fed up beyond belief, and before she knew it, Claudette had smashed Leina's guard wide open, and-
"Tag out."
With shocking suddenness, Leina vanished from her sight, blasted away by a fierce distortion in the air that sent her screaming into the tangled safety of a thick bush.
A dark heavy knife came hammering down on Claudette's guard like a pitiless fang, driving her back from the merciless gaze of eyes sharper, and darker, than that blade could ever be.
A riposte and a shove brought them skidding apart.
Numb disbelief returned with a cruel vengeance as Claudette found herself facing down Yuuji with weapon in hand.
Yuuji, who had positioned himself between Leina and herself… as if to protect Leina from her own sister.
… And with it came the cruelest reminder of all.
Lord Father… no, Count Vance was desperate to prevent Leina from participating in the battle that he had sent Claudette off to die in.
And it was… it was nothing new.
Leina was always the chosen, and with Elina's birth, Claudette was no longer even a spare.
Given the finest of weapons and training, swinging a sword until her blistered hands bled, for no other purpose than to wield a blade in her sister's place.
And now… even the companion she had made through her own efforts, fought and bled alongside.
… Even Yuuji, despite never having even met her sister before this moment, had unhesitantly chosen Leina over her.
Lightning flashed fiercely from above, as the rain began to fall on all their heads, obscuring the pain in her eyes until she could safely tuck it out of sight.
But the heavens cared not for the storm in her heart, and the wheels of a strange destiny had already begun to turn as rain-soaked blades danced savagely.
No one had been able to sense her presence, but abruptly, there was someone above them.
… A cute young woman, more of a girl really, in a short white dress, with hair of vibrant blue, and mismatched white wings.
Claudette's anger fizzled out awkwardly as she immediately recognized that, of all things, their brief spurt of conflict had been interrupted by an actual angel.
An emissary of the Goddess, an overseer of the Queen's… Blade?
Whatever was she doing here, then?
Clearly this was not a preliminary battle- though she was aware that there was no set structure for those, and the Heavens merely assessed competitors as they clashed to prove their might-
"I, Nanael, in the name of the Goddess, declare the beginning of this Queen's Blade!"
… Claudette's anger had fizzled, and now her logical mind followed suit as an unseen force gripped the surroundings, locking them in.
"Today we have a crowd favorite, the Lord of Thundercloud, Claudette Vance! And her mysterious opponent with the dark glossy hair- man there's too much rain, I can't even see your face- hey lady, look up here!"
A clap of thunder illuminated the 'mysterious opponent's' face, and Nanael nearly fell out of the sky.
… The match had actually started!
She'd done it right and now the whole world could see.
But… but…
"HOW COME YOU'RE A GUY!?"
"... Genetics?" Yuuji shrugged, his voice deadpan but his mind not having any easier time of processing what the hell just happened. Idly, he wondered if Claudette had actually given him a concussion, because things were making less and less sense by the second-
"WAA! I'M GONNA GET FIRED FOR SURE!"
And the whole world could see her mistake.
The whole world.
Having just finished an early supper, with cup in hand Alleyne stepped outside her hut and out onto the broad branch that served as her porch, gazing up in curiosity as a familiar distortion in the air brought into being a scrying mirror.
"A Queen's Blade match already? It's begun rather early this time around, hasn't it?"
With a warrior's keen eye, Alleyne assessed the two combatants.
The first woman earned Alleyne's approval in a single glance.
She was an imposing violet-haired beauty who looked dignified even while soaked to the bone with rain… tall and fierce, with a figure every bit as finely honed as the greatsword she held with an ease that could only come from countless hours of training and hard work.
'Vance' was it? The current generation had produced quite the gem, had it not?
Interest fully ignited, Alleyne took in the second combatant, immensely curious to see if the Vance woman had found a worthy foe.
The second 'woman' presented a threat less blatant but no less potent- every bit as sharp as the hefty dark knife in 'her' hand.
Dark of hair and eye, and wearing a nostalgically blank expression, the woman was…
Not a woman at all.
Obviously, because there was no way Yuuji could have disguised his gender from her.
Curious, but Yuuji had been rather uninterested in the Queen's Blade, so whyever was he competing?
… Wait… Yuuji was competing…
… Her male student was competing in the Queen's Blade.
Alleyne's mind caught up to what she was seeing, and promptly shut down as she choked on her drink.
Elsewhere, a very different elf that had gotten involved with her student in a very similar way fell off her chair in a fit of wild laughter.
There was no way Echidna could have known who was mirroring her actions.
No way to know that far above the clouds on a white marble throne, 'someone' sat struggling to conceal her giggles while her cute children flitted around the clouds in a panic.
… But even her mirth turned to horror… at what came next.
To say that Claudette was struggling to keep up with current events was a drastic understatement.
She had fought her sister for the first time ever, then her traveling companion, and now she was officially facing off against her traveling companion, despite the fact that he was a man, and thus logically could not compete in the Queen's Blade!
And yet… he was taking it in stride better than she was.
If anything, he looked rather put-upon, as if history in the making was an unwanted annoyance.
"Anyways, calmed down a little?"
Claudette flinched as a dry voice cut through her mental disarray, and she found Yuuji staring at her, having apparently decided to put off thinking about whatever he'd been roped into by an angel of all people.
"... Yes… my apologies for lashing out, but-"
The question burning on her mind was lost to a mighty cracking sound, too deep and too low to be that of a lightning strike. Then, the ground was heaving and bucking beneath their feet, beneath where Claudette had hammered her enchanted blade into the ground.
Too late, Yuuji remembered the first little detail that had stuck out to him about this stretch of forest, when he'd been going over the map.
Of how it overlooked one of the biggest rivers on the continent.
Overlooked, overlooked…
… This whole section of the forest was one big fucking cliff, wasn't it?
He'd been too focused on not getting cut in half to look past Claudette and see that the sky was ground-level in one direction.
Or rather, he hadn't realized how far south he'd chased Claudette.
The ground heaved again, and Claudette lurched and slid, eyes wide as wet grass slipped out from underneath her and she went tumbling.
Another deafening crack, far louder than thunder or lightning could ever be, and Claudette didn't hear it at all.
Because the darkness that swallowed the world began and ended with a pair of murky eyes, and a grip like iron around her wrist.
And from somewhere far away, she heard a familiar voice screaming loud, and her last thought was wondering why that familiar voice was screaming her name.
"- ends in a draw.
Neither combatant will advance nor be eliminated from the tournament."
… She must have lost consciousness when the ledge crumbled, and they hit the waters far below, as her next moment of awareness found Claudette at river's edge, the lingering echoes of inorganic voices bouncing off the high canyon walls.
… And her body draped halfway on top of Yuuji's motionless, battered back.
Claudette's heartbeat stalled, then trembled in relief as she carefully turned him onto his side, and discovered in the process that he was breathing steadily.
... The drag marks in the soft soil soon told a clear tale- he must have pulled them both from the river, and as far up the embankment as he could manage before passing out.
When the ground gave way beneath them, he had not turned towards safety.
He had not even hesitated- he was already racing towards her the moment she lost her footing, as if it were only natural.
Yuuji had not turned his back on her.
Yuuji had not betrayed her, she had betrayed him by letting her ugly jealousy be a reason to wield her blade against him.
How blind she must have been, to have not seen it.
That she, Claudette, had been the traitor all along.
Risty gets lucky, Nanael causes chaos, Claudette has a meltdown, and Alleyne is faced with the uncomfortable thought that she really might be too old for this shit.
And all the while, the Goddess sits laughing upon her marble throne.
Like I said, lots and lots going on, but I had at least four people to introduce asap so this was the result.
Next chapter will contain some fun surprises and be a bit more straightforward in pacing as we figure out just how far Claudette and Yuuji were washed downstream.