Season 2 Chapter 2 Part 2.
A Goal
Late at night, on her usual branch, Millie is startled awake, yawns, and looks at the starry sky. "I suppose it is more than enough rest. Time to get to work," she thinks to herself and brings out her wings, taking to the sky.
The weekend comes, and Dylan and Jim walk into Rebecca's restaurant. "Oh, hello, you two," Rebecca greets. "Hi, Rebecca. I see that Helene and Kelly aren't here yet," Dylan says as he and Jim sit down at a table. "Not yet, but I'm sure they will be here any minute," Rebecca replies. "Well, we are a little bit early," Jim tells him. "I suppose," Dylan utters.
The door behind him opens, and Dylan turns to it. His eyes drop, and he twists his head back. ("Why is she here?") he thinks to himself, and his eyes meet Jim's eyes. "What is going on?" he asks. "Oh, nothing. Let's just think about what to order," Dylan says. "Huh, why? I'll just have the usual, anyways," Jim says. "Great," Dylan says, as he oped for a different response.
He hears footsteps coming up close, and Jim looks up at the person. "Oh, you must be the new face Dylan told me about?" Jim asks and looks at the redhead.
"Huh, what?" Sky utters and looks at Dylan. "You talk about me too now?" she asks and locks eyes with Dylan.
"You may have come up in conversation a few times between me and Jim, for being annoying whenever you get in the way and whenever you don't watch that mouth of yours" he retorts and looks away, already over the conversation.
"You call me annoying for that!?'' she hisses but he gives no response. ''What are you doing here, anyway?" Sky asks.
"Too meet up with friends. What about you?" he asks, turning his head and meeting her gaze. She frowns slightly and is about to open her mouth. "Oh, Sky, could you help out in here, please?" Rebecca asks from the other room, and Sky moves along.
The door opens, and she turns around to see three girls walk in. "Oh, Dylan and Jim, you guys are already here. We would have come earlier if Erika here would have picked up the pace," Helene says, and Erika walks in behind her, as well as Kelly. "I had to make sure everything was perfect. I work for the town's best tailor. I can't go out without both me and the outfit being perfect," she smiles. "Well, as long as we got here," Kelly tells them, and they all sit down around the table and share pleasantries until the sun begins to set.
Later, Dylan heads home, which is a small, tall brick house with a black roof. In front of the house, the door swings open. "Oh, Dylan, wonderful! Could you take this to the compost?" a lady says, a little short of breath, as she turns back into the house. "Duncan, get your toy out of your sister's hair, and Diana, it is time for supper soon, so be sure to give your younger brother a bath," the lady says. "I will be sure to bring it to the compost, Mom," he says and picks up the bucket.
"You are a hero, Dylan. Thank you. The food will be ready when you come back," she smiles, moving away her dark brown hair. "I am sure it will be delicious," he replies and heads on his way.
"I guess Dad isn't back from his business trip yet," he thinks to himself and walks to the other end of town where the compost is gathered, as it is starting to get dark. Upon arrival, he sees the redhead throwing out compost from a big bucket from the restaurant. She stops as she sees him walk up to the pile.
"Why are you always where I am?" she hisses.
"Right back at you," he says and throws the bucket's contents out into the pile.
"If I didn't know better, I would say that you are following me," she utters.
"Who would ever want to follow a sour-puss like you?" he says lazily.
"So we are back to that again, are we?!" she spits.
"Hey, it would only bother you if it is true," he pushes.
"How about we let our magic decide?" she says and brings out her Grimoar.
"Tsk, it would be a waste of time," he utters and turns around to leave.
"A waste of time, huh? Think I can't take you?!" she spits, and he turns his head back at her, his eyes widening in horror. (There is no way she can make something that huge,) he looks at a tiger as tall as a house.
"You wouldn't," he tells her.
"As if! Now GO!" she yells, and the beast roars and runs for him.
He takes to his feet, running as fast as his feet will carry, his heart pounding, and his lungs soon begin to burn.
Sky sees him run off and giggles a little bit. "Yes, it worked," she whispers to herself and undoes her spell, heading back to the restaurant with the big trashcan. "Man, who knew a restaurant would accumulate this much waste," she mutters to herself and rounds the corner. "I'm back, Rebecca," she says as she opens the door.
"Great, you are a big help," Rebecca smiles. "Well, that is all for today. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Sure thing," Sky replies and heads for the church.
She eats with the other orphans, and Sister Theresa looks at her. "Are you all right?"
"I am. Why do you ask?" Sky asks and takes a sip of water.
"Well, you seem to be pushing yourself rater more than necessary, and I begin to wonder if there is a reason for it," Theresa explains, and Sky looks at her, then away, and back at the sister.
"Not really. I just find it necessary."
"Necessary? What for?" she asks, but there is no response.
"You know you can tell me anything, child, so there is no need to keep what troubles you to yourself," Theresa tells her, and Sky swallows the last piece of bread.
"I'm done now. Thank you for the food," she says and puts the plate and glass by the sink, heading upstairs into the church.
Theresa and Neige look at each other, a bit perplexed by Sky's demeanor.
The next week begins, and Sky runs back and forth with the boxes to Rebecca's restaurant.
On her last trip, she accepts the boxes from Alisa. "Uh, careful, Sky. Those are heavier than the other ones," Alisa tells her, concerned.
"I got this, Alisa. Not to worry," Sky replies and heads back.
"Sky, if you don't slow down soon, you might hurt yourself," Alisa says, concerned.
"It's fine," Sky utters and continues onward at a bit slower pace due to the heavy load.
After a bit, she hears footsteps come up behind her, and she looks to her side as the person approaches. "Not you again. Why do you follow me every morning?" she asks. "Follow you? This is the route I have always taken," he tells her.
"What are you talking about?" Dylan lets out a sigh.
"It's easier to show you," he tells her and walks past her. About 8 meters down, he stops and pulls out keys from his pocket, unlocking the door and heading inside.
Sky looks at the road before she walks in with him, a little hesitant, and places the box on the chair next to the exit. "This is where I work," he tells her. "Oh," she utters. ("It is just down about 80 meters from Rebecca's Restaurant," she thinks to herself.) "Jim, I got the crystals," he says and heads into the back, with Sky following along.
"Great, Dylan," Jim says and turns to him. "Ah, you brought a girl along too. If I knew there would be a lady in my little workspace, I would have tidied up a bit," he tells her and stands up properly, extending his hand to greet her. "My name is Jim, by the way," he says, and she looks at his hand as it is covered in some black grease-like substance.
"Oh, the name is Sky," she says and grabs his wrist with her thumb and a finger, shaking his wrist. he proceeds to look at his hand and dries the grease away on his white work shirt. "What is all this?" she asks, looking at the many contraptions around the room.
"Oh, I make magic items, mostly just to help people with small tasks and such, and some to enhance one's magic a bit. But what I'm mostly working on is unraveling the many mysteries of magic, and someday I might get an award for great ingenuity," he says, driven, and goes back to tinkering. "And I manage the shop and the customers, since Jim's dad usually are at the castle town Kika managing a bigger shop there" Dylan explains.
"So, he has a goal too," Sky mumbles. "Uh, what?" Dylan asks and turns to her. "Nothing," she scoffs and storms out of the store.
"What was that about?" Jim asks and looks at Dylan, who shrugs. "Who knows... I'll get the shop ready," Dylan informs. "Righty-o," Jim replies and goes back to his thing.
Dylan goes to the front of the store and looks at the chair by the entrance. "And she forgot the box," he tells himself and goes over and picks it up. ("Man, this is heavy. Does she really carry this?") he wonders and heads over to Rebecca's restaurant.
As he stands by the entrance door, he hears voices from inside. "Right, I forgot it. I'll get it," Sky says, and the door swings open.
"Here is the—" he gets out as Sky frowns upon seeing him and grabs the box, swinging the door closed. "Box..." ("Seriously?") he thinks to himself and heads back to the store.
The week blows by, and it is a little bit late. He heads back home after throwing away the compost and sees Sky dragging the big trashcan along with her. "Pervert," she throws at him as they pass. "Sourpuss," he throws back, and they both scoff.
He casts an eye behind him before moving on. Sky throws the compost into the pile. "There, it's ready for them to collect in the morning," she tells herself and heads back.
She passes a couple of houses, and a hand grabs her wrist. She is pulled into the darkness. "Hey, let me go!" she hisses.
"Not gonna happen, sweet cheeks," a grown man's voice tells her, and she stomps on his foot and twists out of his grip and falls to the ground. "Ow! You'll pay for that, bitch," he threatens.
"Not if I can help it," she gets to her feet and brings out her Grimoar and forms a tiger between them, and the man smiles.
"Haha, come at me," he laughs, and she sends the tiger at him, but he lets it pass through him. "Wait, how did you know?" she asks.
"I saw the spell in action a week ago," he tells her.
"Wait, what?"
"You seriously think you can make something that big without anyone noticing," he mocks. "Iron dust magic, restricting binds," he utters, and iron dust forms into tentacles and heads for her.
She begins to run. "There's no escape, missy," he says, and the dust whips her to the ground and grabs her leg. She kicks the dust with her other foot.
"Haha, there's no use," he laughs, and more dust tentacles grab her other limbs and pull her towards the tall blond man.
"LET GO OF ME!" she yells, but he moves his magic around to cover her mouth, and pulls her in close.
"Shh, shh. No one will come and get you," he tells her, and her eyes widen.
"That's right. I know for a fact that you are new at the church and a former criminal. No one will miss you if you were to disappear. They will probably just assume that you ran away," he says, eyeing her up and down and grabs her face.
She locks eyes with him, shooting daggers his way. "My, you really are a feisty one. I like that," he mocks before moving on to her breasts. "It is pretty late out, and no one is around. So getting you to my little cabin in the woods will be easy, as the magic knights are too busy with border control these days," he laughs.
"Not that it would matter. I mean, who would ever want to help a poorly mannered loner like you, anyway?" he mocks, his voice dripping with lust and sadistic intent as he moves his hand over her stomach and slowly moves between her legs.
She fights against the restraints, pushing herself as far away from him as she can. "You struggle in vain," he muses. "Now let us be on our way, shall we?" he asks, and she shakes her head.
Walter moves them along through the woods in the back of town. ("Why do these things happen? I really thought if I just worked hard enough, I would find out what I was lacking... I mean, happiness can't possibly only be reserved for everyone else, right?... Brother, this world has no place for either of us after all... and Millie... I am sorry ... I really tried to change my life") her mind wanders, already missing their time in the capital. ("I truly hate this") she thinks to herself while bound, as tears begin to form. ("It is all hopeless, I truly am as useless as my magic after all...")
...
Walter drags her further into the dark woods, she closes her eyes, ready to give in. (''I couldn't even keep my promise to ether of them... so, I suppose this is how my life will, end...'')
.
"Ugh," Walter lets out, and his body falls forward with a thud, unconscious, onto the grass. The spell keeping her in place comes undone, and she falls to the dirt.
She opens her eyes slowly and sees Walter's unconscious body. "What the..." she utters and hears footsteps approaching.
"Come, I don't know how long he will be unconscious," she hears Dylan's voice as he grabs her hand and pulls her to her feet.
"Come on before he wakes up," he tells her and runs, pulling her along. Her feet move atumaticly as her mind tries to catch up with the situation.
A few minutes pass, and they stop behind a big rock. They receive a little light from the town's lights. "Alright, this should be far enough," he says, looking behind them.
"Um," he utters and turns to her. "Hey, are you crying?"
"Turn around," she tells him. "What?"
"Shut up, I need you to turn around," she repeats. "Do you want to be alone?"
"Of course not, idiot." "Do you think that kind of talk is appropriate for-"
"I SAID SHUT UP! I feel Crappy Enough already. I don't need you to watch me cry on top of everything else!" she screeches through her sobs.
(On top of everything else?) "Right," he utters and turns away from her, hearing her heart-breaking sobs.
(I know that anyone who stays at the church doesn't have much, but I never realized how rough they must have it, despite their smiles. Those who have been there the longest seem the happiest though, so Mother Teresa and the sisters must be very good at what they are doing if they can turn sobs like these into such happy smiles the church children always have.) He thinks to himself, listening to her trying so hard to hold back tears, but they force their way out regardless.
They stay there together, and he listens to her sobs for about 15 minutes before they finally subside, leaving only the heavy breaths as she collects herself.
After a while, the hushed silence surrounds them, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Dylan turns back to face her, his eyes filled with concern.
"Are you okay now?" he asks softly, his voice gentle and comforting.
She sniffles, wiping away the remnants of tears from her cheeks. "I think so," she replies, her voice shaky but more composed. "how did you know to find me, Dylan?"
He offers a reassuring smile. "Upon hearing a yell, I initially brushed it off, but a sense of unease had me investigate. And following the sound, I discovered Walter's voice emanating from behind the houses. So I discreetly trailed him into the woods, carefully choosing the opportune moment to intervene."
''Why help me?'' she asks with a shivering voice.
''as if I need a reason. To leave someone alone in such a situation is simply out of the question."
She musters a weak smile in return, genuinely grateful for his presence. (I guess I was wrong about this guy...) she thinks to herself as she gazes at him. In the dim light, she notices how different he looks, and she is captivated. His dark brown curly hair and gentle eyes emit a comforting warmth and sincerity, providing her solace in his company.
she takes a shaky breath and asks ''What do we do now?''.
"Well, Walter does not appear to be coming for us, so we should probably get you to Sister Theresa," he tells her.
"Right, no wait, the trashcan for compost," she utters.
"Leave that to me. I can go and get it after taking care of you," he tells her.
"But I told Rebecca that I would do it."
"Not to worry, I will explain it to her, and I am certain that she will understand," he smiles.
"I don't want her to know I am this weak," the words escape Sky before she could really think.
"I can say that you felt a little ill if you want to," he tells her, and she nods.
He gets up and extends his hand to help her up, which she takes, and he follows her back to the church.
He knocks on the door, and it slowly opens, and Theresa sees Dylan. "What is it, Dylan? I-" she stops as the door opens further, and she sees Sky's bruises and dirt-covered clothes.
"My goodness, what happened, child?" she asks.
"It was not her fault for ending up like this. She has been through a lot tonight, so go easy on her," he says.
"Well, why, of course, come along now. I will have a look at your wounds," Theresa tells her, and Sky walks past Theresa. "Thank you, Dylan, for taking her here. This town can always count on you," she tells him.
"Well, I am glad I can help," he replies, and Theresa gives a welcoming nod, and they say their goodbyes, and the door closes, and he leaves.
A little later, Sky sits down in the kitchen while Theresa brings out a clean cloth and puts it in some water before she goes over to clean Sky's wounds.
"Could you care to tell me what happened, Sky? I am getting quite worried about you," Theresa asks, and Sky takes a deep shaky breath and begins to tell Theresa what had happened that night.
"That Walter, I should give him a piece of my mind," she says, getting increasingly angry. "No, don't," Sky tells her. "Why is that, my child?"
"Because it is my fault for being so weak to begin with." "Sky, that is utter nonsense-" "It isn't. Here I thought if I just worked hard enough, I could somehow become happy like Asta, Alisa, and Tory, and even Jim and the rest of this town, but I can't seem to. I mean, what am I lacking? Why can't I be happy too?"
"Sky..."
"I feel so pathetic," she says, drying her tears.
"I see, so that is why you have put everything into high gear lately. Now I wonder what in the world could have you think that you are lacking anything?" Theresa asks her.
"Huh? Well, I don't have any goal like you all have. I don't know what to do, but I promised Millie I would try to embrace change, but I-"
"Sky, when you first got here on the first day, it was clear to see that you were a fish out of water, as you have been put into a place that you are unfamiliar with and, on top of that, have to live very differently than before and complete the duties that are asked of you, and you do them quite well, I want to add," Theresa utters.
"I am? But why am I not feeling any differently?" Sky asks.
"My child, change takes time and hard work."
"I know, which is why I am working as hard as I can."
"I can see that, but you are missing the most important part," Theresa adds, and Sky looks at the sister with a question.
"You are missing time. Be patient with it, and you will change before you know it has happened, and as for finding a goal, well, that is different for everyone. To find out what they want to do, and maybe your first task could be to slow down a little so you can find it."
"Do you think I really can?" Sky asks.
"Of course, child. Your first goal can be to find a goal you want to work towards. It doesn't have to be anything big or fancy, just something you wish to have happen or accomplish. Even something as simple as getting to know the people around you better is a great start as well," Theresa adds.
Sky gives a lightened smile. "I can't believe I missed that," Sky blushes.
"Now there is some tea left if you want some before bed," she says.
"I would like that," Sky utters, and the sister pours two cups of tea for them both, and Sky is a little nervous but is relieved and feels more at ease after opening up a little.
Later, she goes to the room on the second floor, and she sees the rest of the orphan kids sleep soundly. She walks over to her bed and crouches down and pulls out the books that Millie had bought her.
"I suppose I can give understanding a better shot," she whispers to herself and hides under the blanket and, using her illusion magic, she can form a small ball of light so she can read under the covers.
The next day, she heads to the restaurant and walks inside. "Oh, Sky, good morning. I have just finished getting everything ready, and I have sent the kids to play with the church orphans for now, so you can take it easy," Rebecca tells her.
"Take it easy?" Sky asks.
"Yeah, Dylan came with the can last night, and he said you weren't feeling well, and with as much as you have worked, I am not surprised that you would tire out eventually," she says.
"Oh, that, well, a lot happened," she utters. (Rebecca has been so good to me too, she deserves to know
''Actually Rebecca there is something I would like to tell you'' she utter in a small voice.
''Oh?'' Rebecca wonders and a moment later they sit down by a table in the back of the restaurant and Rebecca pours both of them some tea.
Moments pass of Sky explaining what happened...
"That is terrible. I wish I could stick it to that guy. He is truly the worst," Rebecca says in annoyance. "Actually, I'd rather that this didn't become a big deal... I mean, I am embarrassed enough already," Sky says in a weak tone as she wants to disappear through the floor.
"If you are certain it is what you want, but if you ever feel to stick it to him then-" "I won't... at least not now. I... I know he is some sort of big-shot noble, so I know he could truly harm your business if he were to be angry with you," she utters.
"Well, you are right about that, but... I get a feeling since Mother Theresa already knows about this, she will do something behind the scenes to harm his business and pride without him being able to trace it to her or anyone," Rebecca says with a smile.
"Really?"
"Yeah, knowing her, she is probably already thinking of some way to do it," she says.
"I... I... it should make me feel better. But it doesn't," Sky says, hugging her feet.
"Your mind is probably still busy working through everything. I am sure you will think differently once you are past this," Rebecca says, and Sky looks away and down at the tea, not really sure about it all.
Peck, Peck, Peck! they hear by the door, and Rebecca gets up. "Oh, it is probably the mail," she says and walks over to the back entrance, and sure enough, a delivery owl sits on the fence by the door with a few letters that she accepts. "Thank you," Rebecca utters, and the owl takes to its wings and flies through a white portal that forms in the air above the houses.
"What was the mail from?" Sky asks. "The usual tax payment and such... oh, and one from," Rebecca utters, opening one of the letters with excitement and sits by the table and reads it, and Sky waits for a moment.
"Uh, was it something that important?" she asks.
"Huh, oh sorry, where are my manners? I should have waited to read this to a better time, and not when I have a guest," she says while blushing.
"Right, uh, was the letter from anyone special? If you don't mind me asking, of course," Sky asks.
"Oh, it was a letter from Asta, someone I know from a mixer that I went to a while back," Rebecca replies.
"Yeah, I know him. Does it say when he will come to visit?" Sky asks.
"Huh, not really, why?" Rebecca asks, hoping that Sky isn't interested.
"I kind of want to see Millie again," she utters while blushing a little.
"Oh, I see. Well, sadly, he does not seem to have any time off to come for a visit for a while, but he does say he plans to work hard so he can witness the Magic Knights' entrance exam in a couple of weeks."
"Really? You think I could go to that?" Sky asks.
"Well, I don't know. You are supposed to work-"
"Oh, right," Sky says, disappointed.
"I suppose since you have been working hard, and if you keep going, I am certain that Mother Theresa will let you take a day off to go to Kicka to meet them," Rebecca tells her.
"You really think that she will let me?" Sky asks.
"Theresa is pretty reasonable, so if you work hard, then I am certain she will."
"Right, I will be right on it," Sky says with a big smile as a new found sense of direction motivates her and fills her with a new dose of strength. Getting to her feet and drinking the rest of the tea quickly she heads to the door ready to work. "You can still take it easy. You just went through something really rough," Rebecca tells her.
"I am fine, thank you, truly. I think I just got a goal to work towards," Sky says and heads out.
"A goal?" Rebecca utters as she is left dumbfounded, and she looks up at the clock on the wall.
"Oh shoot, I have to get the shop ready," she tells herself and picks up the cups and heads into the kitchen.
Sky runs down the street towards today's assignment, and she slows her pace as a door opens, and she sees Dylan hang out a sign, and he looks up, and their eyes meet, and she stops.
"Uh, morning," he utters, and she blushes a little. "Yes, it is morning. I, eh, I have to go," she stutters and walks around him before she runs. He raises an eyebrow and shrugs it off and heads inside.
A week passes, and Dylan walks to the loading area, and he gets the box of weekly deliveries.
"Thanks, Tory." "No problem," Tory replies, and Dylan looks to the side and sees Sky take a big, heavy box. "You seem to not be in too big of a rush today. That is good to see," Alisa tells her. "Yeah, well, Rebecca said I could take it easy with these as she won't need it until at least noon," Sky utters and turns to leave, and she stops as her gaze meets Dylan's gaze, and her eyes dart between him and the box, and she begins to walk up the hill.
And Dylan walks up to her and is about to pass her. "Thank you," Sky utters in a weak voice, and Dylan stops in his tracks and spins towards her. "What?" he asks like he just woke up or something.
"I said what I said, so you know," she blushes. "But what did you say?" "Don't be silly, you p... uh," her eyes go to the ground before they shoot up to his eyes. "You know what I said and meant, so drop it," she says as her cheeks grow a little redder.
"Wow, I didn't know you could even express gratitude," he teases. "Whatever, so just drop it, mister. Uh..., Gah!" she stutters and strides past him.
(Well, she dropped the pervert thing at least) he thinks to himself and walks next to her, and they walk in silence for the rest of the way.
Note:
That was the end of this chapter, it came out a little later than expected as I had guests over this weekend.
Thank you for your patience and I look forward to any feedback in the Pm's or Reviews :D .
