Time is fluid. It sometimes alludes those who don't pay attention to it. It flows fast like a raging river or flows slow like a gentle creek. The past year and a half slipped from Wriothesley's fingers. He was in his final semester of college before he went into the police academy. He finished his art work on his arms, feeling at home in his body once again. He was so in love with Neuvillette it almost hurt some days. His heart relied on the light hair man. Navia and Clorinde were now engaged, Clorinde making her move on their anniversary. They were planning an elaborate wedding after the boys got married.
Wriothesley had officially finished his parole. He was a free man at last, the first time in his life. He was learning how to drive after classes with Clorinde. He wasn't doing bad in his opinion, just a little slow to learn. He wanted to do something nice for his fiance when he and Clorinde graduated but just wasn't sure what to do. His question was answered shortly after.
Neuvillette found his partner leaving the criminal justice building towards the parking garage. He didn't usually hunt down his fiance like this but this was huge news!
"Hey baby." Wriothesley smiled warmly. "What's going on?"
"I have wonderful news." Neuvillette smiled. He pulled him to a quiet bench nearby. "For my program, they want to send someone to Sumeru to more or less exchange law knowledge. It is a project to connect our nations in case studies and how we both can improve our justice system. They have chosen to send me."
"That's incredible!" Wriothesley smiled. "You deserve it, you're the smartest one at this entire school."
"You are coming with me." Neuvillette grinned. "I asked the dean for a plus one and they agreed, especially with you about to graduate. It's a great opportunity to build connections."
"I can look…" Wriothesley's eyes went wide. "I can follow Rina's trail."
"Yes you can." Neuvillette squeezed his hand. "I will have a lot of meetings to attend. I've already been in communication with one of the people at the Akademiya. I have a feeling we will hit it off well and build connections from there. He is a very smart man and I have no doubt in my mind he would want to help our cause."
"When do we leave?" Wriothesley asked.
"We leave in a week." Neuvillette replied. "Enough time to prepare and break the news to the girls."
That week was spent in preparation for their trip to Sumeru. It was Wriothesley's first time leaving the country so he was nervous. The morning of their departure, he double checked that all of his documents were correct and his bags were packed. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and took Neuvillette's suitcase from him, carrying it to the car. Clorinde and Navia drove the pair to the airport, saying their goodbyes.
The airplane ride was smooth, which Wriothesley was thankful for. It was his first time on an airplane and was nervous enough for the experience as it was. Neuvillette squeezed his hand, reassuring it was okay. They arrived in Sumeru City in the early morning hours. The Akademiya had arranged for them to stay in a separate dorm house nearby the school. Neuvillette explained he needed to head to the Akademiya to begin his work but Wriothesley was free to explore the city.
Their sleeping quarters for this vacation were quaint. It was a simple room with a large bed, a desk, a closet and a bathroom. The perfect amount of space for their short trip. Wriothesley memorized the location of their temporary home and set out into the city.
Treasure street was simply incredible. There were so many new fruits and vegetables he had never seen before. There were street performers and different shows going on. He was at a stand selling fruits when he heard someone come up behind him.
He turned around to see a tall young woman standing behind him, almost inspecting him. She had long brown and blonde hair that was styled to look like cat ears on her head. She had on high heeled boots, ripped shorts and a red crop top shirt. She crossed her arms while looking Wriothesley up and down.
"You're not from around here are you?" She asked.
"Ah no ma'am." Wriothesley smiled sheepishly. "Just here on a trip with my partner."
"Oh?" She blinked. "It's rare to see a Fontainian around these parts."
"How could you tell?" He asked.
"Your passport fell out of your pocket." She smiled, holding it in her fingers. "I wanted to return it to you."
"Oh goodness." Wriothesley patted his pockets and realized he had lost it. He took it from her. "Thank you! I feel like an idiot now."
"Names Dehya." She smiled, putting out her hand.
"Wriothesley." He took her hand.
"How long are you visiting?" She asked, stepping up to the booth. "Ah Zaytun peaches? Great choice, they're sweet this time of year."
"Just a few days. My partner had work to do at the Akademiya so I'm just wondering about the area. And they looked really good. I thought he'd enjoy them." Wriothesley smiled, handing the vendor what he owed for the fruits.
"Oh I remember Alhaitham mentioning someone coming to visit!" She laughed. "Well would you like a tour around? I won't charge you."
"Charge me?" He titled his head.
"Yeah, I'm part of the Eremites corp. We do a lot of odd jobs around the city including tours. Don't worry, it's on the house… it's my day off after all." Dehya winked at him. He took her up on the offer and they started walking around and talking.
"Hey Dehya… you know this city well right?" Wriothesley asked after they walked for a while.
"Yeah I know this area very well… what's on your mind?" She asked.
He pulled out the old picture of his sister from years back. It showed her walking by an area in Sumeru he didn't recognize. "Do you know where this photo could have been taken?"
"Oh, that's the grand bazaar. I can take you there… She looks familiar, who is she?" Dehya asked. She led him down the road and into a large building that seemed to be almost under the Akademiya. It was filled with shops, music and a large stage.
"She's my sister. She was… taken… a long time ago and I am searching for her." He looked around the bazaar. He recognized immediately the photo was taken by the stage.
"Hold up…" She approached the stage and waved to a beautiful red haired girl who was setting up some props on the stage. "Nilou! Come down here!"
The girl approached. She looked like a goddess… dressed in blue and gold. She seemed to glide as she moved towards the pair. "How can I help today, Dehya? A new friend?" she smiled.
"Yeah this is Wriothesley, a new friend I found on Treasure street." Dehya said. She took the photo from Wriothesley and showed it to the other girl. "I recognize her from down here but I can't put a name to the face, can you?"
Nilou took the photo and inspected it. "It's an old photo but it does look like Ms. Marina." she said.
"Have you seen her recently?" Wriothesley asked, trying to swallow the knot of anxiety in his throat.
"Oh yeah. She comes here at least a few times a week to get spices and watch the show." Nilou smiled. "I just saw her a few days ago."
"She's alright?!" He asked, a little more enthusiastic than originally intended. "I'm sorry, I should explain. She is my sister. She disappeared around 10 years ago and I've been searching for her for a long time now."
"I wish I had an address to give you but unfortunately I don't know much about her. I just know she enjoys the show and always leaves a good tip at the end." Nilou shrugged.
"Thank you so much for the information Nilou… can I ask when your next show is? I'd love to catch it before I return home." Wriothesley smiled.
"Oh tomorrow night!" She smiled. "I look forward to seeing you there!" She returned to her stage set up. Wriothesley took a photo of where the security camera footage of his sister showed. It had changed slightly but it was a great clue. Dehya had moved on to talking to another vendor, still working on getting information about Marina for her new found friend.
He wasn't sure what caught his eye. It could have been the long dress. It could have been the familiar gentle laugh. But when he looked across the bazaar at a nearby vendor he saw her. She looked slightly different than he imagined. Her once long black and gray hair was now shoulder length. Her once blue eyes were now changed, only one remaining blue the other was a pinkish red. She was taller than he had expected. But without a doubt, the woman across the bazaar was his sister.
He froze for a moment. He dreamed of this day for so long but here she was. He yelled her name, making the girl turn towards him. But he didn't expect what happened next.
The girl took off running in the opposite direction. Wriothesley took after her, running the exact same line as her. He kept calling her name and asking her to stop. They exited the bazaar and onto the streets. He was being led down side streets and alleyways. He did his best to keep up but ended up losing her. He looked around, panting. Fuck! How could he blow this opportunity like this!?
"Wriothesley!" he turned around to see Dehya, panting from chasing after him. "What the hell happened?"
"I saw her!" He slammed his fist into the building exterior he was near. "I lost her… she was right there! Why would she run?"
"Are you positive it was her?" She asked.
"Yes she even looked at me." He sighed and sat on the ground. He looked at his bleeding knuckles and sighed. "I cant believe she is gone again."
"Why don't we go see Cyno?" Dehya asked. She took some gauze out of her small pouch she kept on her belt. She wrapped his hand and smiled. "He can help."
"Who is that?" Wriothesley blinked.
"Our general Mahamatra. Think of him as our police chief." Dehya helped the man off the ground. "Based on the current time, he should be at the Puspa Cafe by now. He goes there after his shifts to relax and play cards with friends."
"You just… know the chief of police?" Wriothesley asked.
"Of course! He's a good friend of mine. So are his friends." Dehya led them out of the alleyway and up the street to a small cafe. It smelled of sweets, coffee and wine. When they entered the cafe, Wriothesley was shocked. At a large table in the corner was a group of 5 men. A blonde with a wine glass in hand, a gray-haired man with a stern face, a man with green and black hair who was adjusting his cards in his hand, a light haired man with an anubis hood draped on the back of the chair and… Neuvillette?
"Baby?" Wriothesley blinked.
"Wait, this is your partner?" Dehya asked. "Small world!"
"Ah Wriothesley!" Neuvillette smiled. "You made a friend?"
"Yeah this is…" He started but was cut off by the gray haired man.
"Dehya." He said. "She's a good friend of ours. Did you sniff out our guests from abroad today?"
"More like a happy accident." She laughed. "But I'm glad I ran into him. I actually brought him here to see you Cyno. I think he has connections to your case."
"Which one?" The light haired man asked, attention turning to the newcomers. His gaze was so serious and almost punishing.
"The one involving the Doctor."
The room went silent at that point. Wriothesley and Neuvillette gave each other looks that conveyed confusion. How did they know about the case? Cyno broke the silence when he patted the open seat next to him at the table.
"Sit down then. Let's talk." Cyno said. Dehya took her leave, offering to head back to the bazaar to look for clues they may have missed. "Now tell me what happened today."
"Well I was in the bazaar to find where this photo was taken." He slid the photo of Marina towards the general. "I spoke to a girl named Nilou who confirmed the location of this photo and confirmed it was my sister, Marina. When I turned around to look around the bazaar I saw her. The first time in 10 years I saw my sister. I called her name and she turned but the moment she realized it was me, she ran off. I lost her in a maze of alleyways."
"Your sister is the Queen." Cyno said, inspecting the photo. "This is quite old. She's older than this now."
"The Queen?" Neuvillette raised a brow.
"That is her code name within the organization that is run by the Doctor. She is his second in command." Cyno said. He pulled out his phone and slid it over to Wriothesley. It was a photo of the girl he saw today at the bazaar. "Is this your sister?"
"Yes!" He picked up the phone and took in all the details. "What happened to her eyes?"
"Based on our investigations, human experimentation." Cyno reported. Wriothesley's whole body tensed at that, Neuvillette putting a hand on his back.
"Why don't we do this…" Cyno took his phone back. "Why don't you meet me tomorrow morning? Just come with Neuvillette to the Akademiya and I will meet you in the entryway. I will share my case file with you. If what Neuvillette has told us is true, we will be working on the case together soon enough anyway. May as well get a head start."
"That would be simply incredible thank you." Wriothesley dried his teary eyes. "Sorry to just interrupt your guys meeting like this."
"Nonsense." Alhaitham waved a hand. "Neuvillette has said nothing but positive things about you all day. We wanted to invite you anyway but Neuvillette said you had a set meeting time. He was going to bring you here after you met rather than have you try and find this place on your own."
"My apologies." Neuvillette smiled softly. "I wasn't sure where you were in your exploration and didn't want to hinder."
"By the way, I am Alhaitham." The gray haired man introduced. He was a bulky, muscular man across the table from his partner. He had on a vibrant and complex black and green outfit. Headphones sat on his shoulders, taken off to give his full attention to the guests. "I am the one who invited Neuvillette here. I'm the current acting grand sage at the Akademiya. It isn't a position I asked for, typically I am a simple scribe. But when the position needed filling, Cyno insisted I step up to the plate. I figured I may as well make some good use and strengthen some of our connections, hence your arrival from the Fontaine Institution."
"As Dehya told you, I'm Cyno the General Mahamatra of Sumeru city. I more or less run the police force of this nation. But mostly the city now. I have substations running the smaller areas to keep everyone safe. I've been working hard on stopping large trafficking rings." The light haired man explained. His red eyes were penetrating straight to the soul. It was like they could scare any man out of lying. He wore a black mesh shirt and black shorts with gold accents. His decident anubis headwear sat on the back of the chair, near his spear he used for patrols and justice.
"I'm Kaveh." The blonde man waved. His face was flushed as he finished off his glass of wine. "I'm Alhaitham's husband. I'm also an Architect! Make sure to admire the buildings while you're in town!" He wore a white cotton shirt that had a deep v neck. It had red details added with a scarf. He practically purred as Alhaitham poured another glass of wine for him. He had matching red clips in his hair holding up a feather accessory.
"And I'm Tighnari." The black and green haired man waved. "I'm a forest ranger but I come into town often to report to Cyno and to visit. We grew up together so we are close friends and work closely together." He had on a blue and red hoodie and matching pants. There was a large backpack on the side of his chair, his travel pack.
"We are just waiting for them to screw." Kaveh sighed, causing the other two men in question to blush heavily.
"Sounds like Navia and Clorinde before they started dating." Wriothesley laughed. "It's nice to meet everyone. Again I'm sorry for just butting in."
"It's fine really." Neuvillette squeezed his hand. "Are you alright after today's events?"
"I will be. Honestly seeing her has given me hope." Wriothesley admitted.
"So you two have been together for how long?" Kaveh asked.
"Almost 3 years now." Neuvillette said. "Time flew by if I was honest. We have been so wrapped up in our studies that it slipped through my hands."
"But every second was worth it." Wriothesley smiled. "He never gave up on me since we met. Even after learning…" He trailed off, not really sure why he got so wrapped up in thought. He really didn't want to tell his new friends he was a felon.
"If I may." Alhaitham began. "We know your past. I had to approve everything for the trip. There is no judgment at this table."
"We all have our burdens to bear." Tighnari smiled.
"I have my fair share of blood on my hands." Cyno admitted.
"I do want to ask… you guys look to be around our age. How are you guys in such advanced positions? I apologize if that's rude, I'm just curious." Wriothesley asked.
"Our school system is very different here. You went to high school whereas we go into specialized schools after primary school. So for us graduating highschool is graduating into our fields. Some continue on to become masters in their field or move onto research." Alhaitham explained. "I graduated from the Haravatat Darshan. It specializes in language, ancient texts and semiotics."
"I graduated from Kshahrewar. It specializes in architecture and technologies." Kaveh smiled, finishing another glass of wine and prodding Alhaitham to pour him another.
"I'm from Amurta." Tighnari smiled. "Specializing in biology."
"And I am from Spantamad, specializing in elemental sciences and oddities." Cyno nodded. "With our specialties, we are able to go into the field without spending all the time in college again, since it's already done. So yes we are around the same age, possibly a little older." He motioned to a drunk Kaveh.
"Ignore him." Alhaitham sighed. "He likes to drink at card night. It's fine."
"One more cup Haitham." He whined. "I'll make it worth it later." Alhaitham sighed again before pouring him another glass and returning the empty bottle to the counter.
"Card night?" Neuvillette asked. "I'm so sorry if we are imposing on your game night."
"We rarely have guests from abroad like this. We are so happy to have you both here." Tighnari smiled. "So please relax. We are happy to play cards another night. Gives Kaveh here another reason to get drunk."
"Hey!" Kaveh whined. He eyed Wriothesley and Neuvillette across the table. "So do you break him in half every time you're in bed? If everything is in proportion, that thing has gotta be at least 10 inches."
"I'm stronger than I look." Neuvillette said, blushing heavily.
"Am I that imposing?" Wriothesley asked. "And I don't break him every time just when I go too rough. Doesnt Alhaitham do the same to you?"
"Well yes but even compared to you he looks small- hey!" Kaveh pouted as his partner returned, pulling the feather from his hair to make him stop.
"I know you're drunk but you can't ask our guests about their dick size and sex life." Alhaitham sighed. "Please accept my apology for my husband's behavior."
"He acts like that when he's sober." Cyno chuckled. "He means well. Just a pervert is all."
"It's alright. Our girls at home do the same." Neuvillette said, blushing slightly still.
"Girls at home?" Kaveh asked.
"We live with another couple, Navia and Clorinde. Clorinde is my childhood friend. They just got engaged. We all love each other but are platonic outside of our personal couplings." Wriothesley explained.
The group continued talking about the differences in their lives. Sumeru had a much different culture than Fontaine. They went their separate ways when it became late. Neuvillette easily led them back to their temporary home. He and Wriothesley began to change into their pajamas, talking about their new friends when they heard a sharp knock at the door and an envelope slipping under the door. Wriothesley quickly pulled on his shirt and opened the door. No one was outside. He picked up the envelope that had his name on it.
"What is it…?" Neuvillette asked, looking over his shoulder.
"I'm not sure. No one was outside." Wriothesley said. He ripped the envelope open to read the letter inside.
'Dear brother, I'm so sorry for running. It isn't time for us to meet yet. There is a plan in place that will require us to play our roles at proper times. We will meet soon I promise you. I know you will save me. I am alright for now. All of my notes are located at the following location. They will explain everything.' The letter was signed by Cerberus. Under the short letter was a short message of 'HD103.4'.
"Who is Cerberus?" Neuvillette asked.
"My sister's code name." Wriothesley said. "When we were kids and needed to talk in code… Marina was Cerberus and I was Duke. I have no idea what the code means though."
"HD should be the House of Daena. It's the library in the Akademiya. The numbers are probably shelf location markers but I only was in there briefly today. Alhaitham will know." Neuvillette said. He pulled out his phone. He called his new friend's number as Wriothesley reread the letter.
"Hello?" Alhaitham answered the phone. Neuvillette put it on speaker so his partner could hear. It sounded like Alhaitham was running a marathon. Turned out he wasn't when they heard a loud moan on the other end that sounded like Kaveh.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt." Neuvillette said, blushing heavily. "We just had a letter slid under our door that we believe is from Marina. There's a code on the bottom that says HD103.4."
"House of Daena, section 103, sub shelf 4." Alhaitham panted slightly. "Do you want me to meet you there to look? I can once Kaveh is satisfied."
"That would be incredible if it's not too much to ask." Neuvillette said sheepishly.
"Give me 20 minutes and I will meet you in front of the Akademiya. I'll send a quick text to Cyno too." Alhaitham said before hanging up to finish what he was doing.
"Interesting time to answer the phone." Wriothesley chuckled.
"They've been together for a long time from my understanding." Neuvillette said. "Let's get changed back into street clothes and head up to wait."
They did just that, changing back into their clothes and making the short walk to the Akademiya. They waited for the others to arrive, Alhaitham arriving about 10 minutes after they did. He led them inside and through the large Akademiya hallway to the House of Daena. Wriothesley couldn't believe his eyes… It was a massive room, walls coated in countless books. It looked like all the knowledge in the entire world was there.
He led them over to a shelf. It was labeled 103. But on this shelf was at least 200 books! Alhaitham moved a ladder over and climbed to the 4th shelf, very high up.
"Alright, I'm going to read some book titles off. Let me know if there's a possibility of it being correct. Based on the letter, it has to have a purpose to you and your sister." Alhaitham called out. "First ones are Sounds and the Fury, Passing, and Great Expectations."
"Possibly the last one?" Wriothesley replied.
"The next ones are Quicksand, Age of Innocence and Signs of life." Alhaitham said, taking the other book out.
"Age of Innocence maybe." Wriothesley called.
"Last ones are Charlotte temple, the Scars and History of the Marinas."
"Wait that last one." Wriothesley called. "That's her name!"
Alhaitham slid down the ladder with the books and set them on the table. He handed the books to Wriothesley who instantly began shuffling through the pages of the last book. He found envelopes in between the pages. He found envelopes 1, 2, 3, 5 and final. Where was envelope 4? The group started going through the rest of the books to no avail. Alhaitham even climbed back up and looked through the rest of the books.
"I've always wondered what this random 4 was." Cyno said, entering the large library. He held up a matching envelope. "It was turned in by a student around a week ago."
"Should we open them?" Wriothesley asked. He was handed the final envelope as a blessing from Cyno. He carefully opened all of the envelopes and laid the contents out on a table.
"Is this…?" Neuvillette started.
"An exact layout of the Doctor's trafficking rings." Cyno smirked. "I take these are you sister's notes?"
"Yeah." Wriothesley handed him the letter he had received a few hours earlier. "It's her plan. It's the order we need to arrest everyone in order to save her. She really did plan it out."
"The first group seems to be located in Fontaine. Most of them are." Alhaitham noticed, reading through the notes carefully. "Only the final two are in Sumeru. It looks to be out in the desert regions."
"So once I'm out of the academy, I can start with the small fries in Fontaine then we can collaborate with the big guys." Wriothesley looked at Cyno. "Is your offer still up for exchanging information in the morning?"
"Yes absolutely." Cyno nodded. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to take these notes and make copies for my file. I will return the originals in the morning. Fret not, my office is secure and no one will know about this."
"Yes, that's fine." Wriothesley smiled.
"Why don't you two head home?" Alhaitham offered. "I will clean up the books so no one notices. The library is off limits at this hour so it'll be like we were never here. Morning comes early."
The two men accepted the offer and headed back to their temporary home nearby. They locked the door behind them and settled in for the night. Nearby, Dehya stood up from her hiding spot on a nearby roof. She hopped down and joined her client who was sitting on a nearby bench.
"Milady." She sighed. "I don't see why you can't just talk to him."
"It's too soon." The girl patted the spot on the bench next to her for Dehya to sit down. She gently tugged off the hood of her cloak. Her red and blue eyes shone in the moonlight. "We really do look alike don't we?"
"Lady Marina." Dehya smiled. "You two could be twins if I didn't know better. Was it really needed for me to pickpocket him today to earn his trust? I feel almost dirty because of it. He's a really kind soul."
"Unfortunately yes." Marina sighed. "I don't want him or Dottore getting suspicious of you. It's hard enough to stay in the shadows myself. Can you please just continue faking the hunt for me?"
"Anything for you." Dehya held her hand softly. "I will follow you to the ends of the world. Same with the other head of Cerberus. I know it can't be easy hiding all this. Although… It's going to be harder in the future once she arrives."
Marina laughed softly, running a hand over her swollen belly. "Worry not Dehya… this plan is in place to protect her… to give her a future… to give her the family she deserves and I never had."
"I trust your judgment lady Marina." Dehya kissed her hand softly. "Come on… let's get you two out of the cold evening." She helped the pregnant woman off the bench and towards the residence they were staying at in Sumeru city.
The next morning, Wriothesley joined Neuvillette in the walk to the Akademiya. As promised, Cyno was waiting in the lobby for the dark haired man. Neuvillette disappeared down the hallway with Alhaitham. They needed to get started on their work for the day. Wriothesley followed the general down the opposite hallway. He was led down a very busy corridor to a staircase with a locked office at the top.
"Please come in." Cyno said, holding the door open for the other man to pass. "I have the originals ready for you. I made my copies this morning."
"I apologize for the lack of sleep you got last night." Wriothesley smiled, sitting at the desk across from the other man.
"I'm very used to it." Cyno laughed softly. "Bad guys rarely care about my beauty sleep." He slid a file across the desk for him. "This is the data I have gathered so far about the organization."
Wriothesley opened it, surprised at the detail the other had already put into the case. "When I am able, I will have to send you the file information I have. We found my parents' old log book last year… It has definitely helped with breakthroughs. This is incredible work Cyno."
"Unfortunately, the desert is a lawless land right now. It seems to be where he is hiding out. But it seems the Doctor and the Queen are the headliners of the show. Everyone else seems to be disposable cronies. Once we take out the worker bees, we can get the main two." Cyno sighed. "I apologize. I shouldn't speak of your sibling like that. I do truly believe she is doing all of this out of survival. I know she was a test subject too."
"What kind of tests?" Wriothesley almost hesitated to ask.
"Human experiments. We think he is trying to perfect immortality but are uncertain as of right now. We know he's been tinkering with DNA. That is why your sister's eyes have changed colors, DNA manipulation. We don't know the extent at this time either." Cyno sighed. "I wish I had more concrete evidence for you."
"No, this is incredible Cyno." Wriothesley closed the file and slid it back. "I got to see she was alive yesterday… that was the first time in 10 years. That one sight was enough to light the flames in my heart."
"I'd like you to have this." He removed a photo from the file. It was a clear photo of Marina, who looked to be almost smiling at a camera on the streets. It gave a perfect image of her face and upper body. "I feel you should have a recent photo of her. Not that grainy image from years ago."
"I will treasure it." Wriothesley smiled.
"Now… how do you feel about a sparring match?" Cyno smirked. "I'd love to see what you've learned so far in your training."
"Lead the way sir." Wriothesley grinned back, cracking his knuckles.
Cyno led him out of the office and all the way down the hallway. It led to an open courtyard with a large sand pit arena. It was a training ground for the matra police. Cyno tossed Wriothesley a dull spear and took one for himself. They entered the arena.
"Now, in Sumeru, our police opt for spears instead of guns. It's a cultural tradition here. We spar in the sand. No need to be easy on me." Cyno explained.
Wriothesley spun the spear, trying to get a measurement for the weight of the new weapon. He quickly moved in towards Cyno, closing the distance and trying to swipe out his feet. Cyno jumped before contact was made, moving to the side and whacking Wriothesley in the side with the spear.
"You rely too much on your brute strength." Cyno said. "You need to relax and let the movement of the air tell you where your enemy is going to go. Again."
Wriothesley blinked at the sudden instruction but seemed to understand what he was getting at. The second time, he did a false swipe at the others feet, using the spear to give him leverage to kick Cyno out of the air. The attack connected with the general's spear, the smaller man blocking it.
"That's much better." Cyno smirked. "You're a quick learner. You cannot just go in guns blazing. You need a plan. You need to adapt to any situation at hand. There will be enemies stronger than you. Me for example; I am half your size. I need to use space and technique to counter anything you throw at me."
The two continued sparring until the door to the courtyard opened. Cyno set his weapon down and told the other man to take a short break. Wriothesley turned around to see Tighnari, who waved at them both.
"It's nothing important, Cyno. Just a small report." Tighnari smiled. "I do hope you're going easy on our new friend."
"I wouldn't hurt him, you know that." The other man rolled his eyes playfully. "What's the report?"
"I found a lost man in the woods. He's currently at the hospital getting treated for dehydration. I alerted a matra member to go get his statement shortly." Tighnari said.
"No connection to my cases right?"
"Not as far as I can tell… seemed to just be a hunter who bit off more than he could chew in the woods." Tighnari motioned for Cyno to come closer, the other almost hesitating. "Come on it's just Wriothesley… he will be working with you for the foreseeable future. We don't need to hide. No one else is around."
"Just come out of the doorway then." Cyno huffed. The green and black haired man rolled his eyes and moved to the side of the door, making sure no one was able to see him. Cyno approached him and gave him a gentle kiss.
"I thought Kaveh said you two were not together?" Wriothesley asked, taking a drink of water.
"We prefer to keep it private." Tighnari smiled. "The only reason Kaveh doesnt know is he's a loud mouth. Even his husband knows."
"We keep it private due to my position." Cyno explained. "I don't want Nari used as bait in any of my cases. So we are really careful of who sees us together. To most we are just childhood friends."
"That's really smart." Wriothesley smiled. "Thank you for trusting me with that information."
"Are you going to the show tonight?" Tighnari asked Cyno.
"I unfortunately have to patrol. It would be wonderful if you took our friend from abroad though." Cyno said.
"Show? Do you mean Nilou's performance?" Wriothesley asked.
"Oh you two already met?" Tighnari asked. The other man recounted his interactions with the red head yesterday.
"I'll definitely take you then." Tighnari smiled.
"Why don't you head back to your house and relax for a bit." Cyno suggested. "Nari can swing by on the way to the bazaar and lead you so you don't get lost."
The dark haired man agreed, thanking the general and heading back to his temporary abode. He took a cold shower, needing one after sparring in the hot Sumeru heat. There was time to fit a small nap in, exhausted from the long night and physical morning work.
Tighnari came by the small house about 20 minutes before the show was to start. Neuvillette and Alhaitham wouldn't be done with their work until after the performance. The two headed down to the grand bazaar and took a seat in the second row. Wriothesley wasn't sure what to expect from it honestly, but was excited. His sister had continuously watched this show… he wanted to see what the hype was about.
Nilou appeared on stage shortly after. Music had begun in the background. The way she moved was so goddess-like. It was almost like she was floating on air. Watching Nilou dance was truly entrancing. The lighting and effects made her appear like she was glowing. The show wasn't long, just enough to keep Wriothesley wanting to see more. After the show, the redhead approached the pair.
"I'm glad you could make it." She smiled warmly at the foreign man. "What did you think?"
"That was divine Nilou." Wriothesley smiled warmly. "I never knew someone could dance like that. You were floating up there!"
"Thank you!" She blushed a bit. "I'm glad you liked it. I've been dancing since I was a small child. It's truly my passion. I'm so grateful to share the experience with others."
"You were magical as always." Tighnari added. "I've never been disappointed in one of Nilou's dances."
They exchanged pleasantries a little longer before Wriothesley received a phone call. He answered instantly, happy to hear his partner's voice. Neuvillette explained he was done with everything he needed done for the day. They agreed to meet back at the house, their rendezvous point. He said his farewells to the other two and walked back to the home.
Neuvillette told Wriothesley all about his day and told them they were going to Alhaitam and Kaveh's house for a small gathering this evening. Wriothesley was really impressed with his partner. He was really becoming close with his new friend and that was exciting. Maybe they can come back and visit their new Sumeru friends again soon. Or at least keep in touch.
The next morning, Neuvillette woke up with his alarm. It was their final day in Sumeru, returning to Fontaine early the next morning. A soft knock on the door startled Neuvillette as he slipped on his shoes. He quickly answered the door to see Alhaitham.
"I'm glad to see you up." The other said. "Did you enjoy your evening?"
"Ah very much so." Neuvillette chuckled with a blush. He looked over to Wriothesley who was still fast asleep in bed. "He probably won't be awake for a while. It had much more of an effect on him than me. I left him a note, no worries."
"I asked a friend to come check on him later anyway." Alhaitham nodded. "Let's finish up what we have left so we can join them."
The two headed towards the Akademiya, ready to finish their hard work. Wriothesley remained asleep until he heard a sharp knock at the door. He groaned as he was rudely awakened. He glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly afternoon. He quickly got out of bed and answered the door.
"Hey tiger!" Dehya smiled, waving at the man as he opened the door. "You look like you had a good night."
"Dehya?" Wriothesley yawned. "How did you know this is where I was staying…?"
"Alhaitham asked me to come check on you today. He said you guys had a wild night." Dehya grinned.
"Yeah we definitely did." Wriothesley smiled softly before stepping aside, offering the other to enter the small house. Dehya stepped in and sat on the end of the bed.
"If you ever need to go undercover here, dress as an Eremite… you would blend in so well with that amount of scarring." Dehya said. Wriothesley blushed as he realized he was shirtless and still in his boxers.
"Sorry I didn't even put two and two together. I'll cover up…" Wriothesley quickly tried to find a shirt.
"I didn't mean it like that! Scars aren't a bad thing here, I'm not sure about where you're from." Dehya raised a brow. "Here they are a sign of a warrior, that your life has had hardships that you conquered and survived."
"Where I'm from they don't mean that." Wriothesley scoffed slightly. "They are from years of abuse from my parents. My sister has plenty of her own… I started covering some with tattoos to feel better about wearing short sleeves."
"Do people really care about 'em where you're from or do you care about them?" Dehya raised a brow.
"Both probably." Wriothesley shrugged. "Neuvillette is just used to them and can look past them now."
"Sorry if I offended you or something…" Dehya looked down. "I definitely didn't mean to. I have plenty of my own."
"Oh no you didn't offend me." Wriothesley gave a soft smile. "It's alright. It was a long time ago after all."
"Good cause you're stuck with me a little today." Dehya smiled. "Alhaitham gave me a commission to take you somewhere. Get dressed!"
"Commission? Take me where?" Wriothesley blinked.
"It's a surprise!" Dehya clapped her hands. "Chop chop! We leave in 10 and we can stop and grab a wrap or something for breakfast! Or lunch now I suppose."
Wriothesley nodded and got dressed and ready for the day. They started down the road, getting some breakfast at a street stand. Dehya led him on a dirt road out of town and into the forest. She still wouldn't tell him where he was going.
"So how was your wild night?" Dehya asked. They were completely alone on a path in the woods.
"It was really good…" Wriothesley said, blushing. "Neuvi and I uh… switched roles?"
"Oh!" Dehya grinned. "I take it that's new?"
"Very…" He paused for a moment. "How much did the others tell you about me?"
"Not a whole lot, why?" Dehya asked.
"Well um… this may be a lot to hear so I won't go into great detail." Wriothesley bit his lip, unsure of what to say that wouldn't upset his new friend.
"Hold on a moment." She looked around and spotted a flat spot under a tree. She took a seat under the large tree and patted a spot for the other man. He took a seat beside her. She offered her full attention.
"Well um…" He scratched the back of his head. "I spent a majority of my life in prison…"
"Wait, is that all?" Dehya raised a brow. "I thought you were going to say you were a criminal mastermind that traveled the world."
"No I murdered my parents…" Wriothesley looked down.
"Okay." Dehya shrugged. "If they did that to you…" She motioned to his scarred torso. "I don't think you're truly at fault for it."
Wriothesley wasn't sure how to react. His companion just… didn't care he was a killer from jail. He couldn't control the fit of laughter that came after. "I truly didn't expect that reaction… most people feel either fear or sympathy… I've never seen someone react so indifferent!"
"I think it's fair to tell you I'm from the desert." Dehya smiled. "We do what we need to survive out there. Murder was common in the tribes. It doesn't frighten me."
"Maybe you and I aren't so different after all…" Wriothesley laughed. "Just from different countries."
"We are similar in ways you can't imagine." Dehya smirked. He didn't know who she really was but she knew exactly who he was. His dear sister never stopped talking about him after all.
The two talked a little longer before they started along the path again. It wasn't long until they hit a large village of treehouses in the woods. There were people bustling around the various buildings, some setting off into the woods and others coming back. There were supplies everywhere!
"Welcome to the ranger station of the Avidya forest!" Dehya smiled.
"This is incredible! It's so close to the city too and yet we feel in the middle of the woods!" Wriothesley looked around in awe.
"This is where we set out home base. We picked this location for the exact reasons you just described." Said a familiar voice. Approaching the pair was Tighnari. "Thanks for leading him out here Dehya. I had too many issues to take care of this morning."
"Anytime!" She smiled warmly. "Do you need help finishing the preparations?"
"No need… Collei has helped a great deal this morning and Kaveh actually showed up early somehow." Tighnari laughed a bit. "He heard there was wine."
"Wait what's going on?" Wriothesley blinked.
"You'll see! Give us another 20 minutes or so to finish the preparations." Tighnari said, rushing off into the largest treehouse.
Dehya talked with Wriothesley near the entrance of the large compound until Tighnari returned sometime later. He guided the two into the large tree house with a grin on his face. Inside was a large party, full of forest rangers and most importantly his friends he had made in Sumeru. Neuvillette was waiting at the entrance, kissing his partner shortly after he took in the sights.
"We wanted to give you both a proper farewell." Tighnari smiled. He introduced the pair to Collei, a young forest ranger in training he had taken under his wing.
They celebrated with their new friends from the early afternoon well into the night. Kaveh definitely had more than his fair share of wine. He was practically draped around Alhaitham at the end. Alhaitham talked with Neuvillette for a long time that evening. The two truly did have a lot in common. There was a strong chance of a lifetime bond forming between them. Wriothesley talked with Cyno and Tighnari a majority of the evening. He found both of them fascinating and he deeply hoped they would work together to bring his sister home. Collei was very shy at first, just mingling among the forest rangers she knew before joining Dehya in some dancing and conversation.
Wriothesley and Neuvillette walked back to the city very late that night. Wriothesley couldn't believe the stars… They were so bright and pure. He rarely saw them like this in Fontaine. Sumeru was a neighboring nation yet it was so different from his homeland. He thought of what Dehya said about the desert being a lawless land. That had to be where the Doctor was operating, in the shadows of the sands.
"Sweetheart?" Neuvillette asked, squeezing the other's hand. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah… just lost in thought." Wriothesley admitted. "This trip was simply incredible. I hope we can bring the girls back to see all of our friends. I hope we can all keep in touch."
"I have everyone's phone numbers. We can communicate whenever." Neuvillette smiled. "We will be back… this will not be our last time in Sumeru."
Wriothesley nodded before they continued their walk back to their temporary home. Travel the next morning was brutal with such little sleep but worth it. The girls practically tackled the boys when they were picked up at the airport.
"Navia we were gone for like…4 days." Wriothesley groaned as the petite blonde squeezed him tight like a boa constrictor.
"It was too long!" She whined.
"It seems we rely on you both much more than we originally thought." Clorinde admitted, hugging Neuvillette a second time.
"We missed you both as well. Next time, you'll have to come with us." Neuvillette smiled.
Navia ushered them all to the car and made sure everything and everyone was loaded safely before driving them back home. She made them tell her everything from their trip on the car ride home. Clorinde couldn't believe that there was so much information on Marina. She cried softly as she looked at the new photo of her.
"She's so beautiful…" Clorinde smiled. "We'll bring you home soon Rina."
"You and I graduate in a month, Rinde. Then we enter the academy. Then we will find her and bring her home." Wriothesley smiled.
"It'll be a homecoming well worth waiting for." Clorinde said warmly. "Coming home to her new family, one who will love and cherish her forever."