Author's Note: This is the first chapter that contains a choice that dictates the path of the story. Toni's path is the main factor involved however every choice contributes to the three love interests as well. See you at the bottom, where the question will be revealed.
Pairings: Mariah May/Toni Storm, Toni Storm/? and others may appear throughout the story
Rating: Rated M for gore, graphic violence and any other mature themes if they are present.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for any OCs that I use and the story itself. All the other characters belong to themselves obviously and Impact Wrestling/WWE/whatever promotion. This story is complete fiction. AU (Alternate Universe)
No One's POV
The Next Day.. late morning
Nehanora, Mortadel, the capital of the Kingdom, castle throne room
A pompous throne of marble sits beneath an almost entirely close baldachin and is adjoined by two equally impressive thrones, one on each side of her Royal Highness. These thrones were the seats for the Queen's holy knights, the two are her closest friends. The monarch's throne is covered in simple inscriptions and fixed on each of the wide armrests is a diamond crown. Sitting upon the center throne was the sole monarch of Mortadel, Charlotte Flair hailing from the prestigious Flair dynasty.
Her ears were large and had pointed tips, and a gold crown with blue sapphires wrapped around the center placed perfectly on her golden blonde locks. Instead of dawning a dress, the Queen always wears her armor which is white with light blue accents. The breastplate was one solid piece, it covers almost everything from the neck down, it narrows near the groin and leaves part the sides exposed. In between the breasts was a sapphire that glowed brightly, the shoulders plates are pointy, short and small in size. The upper arms are protected by pointed, layered metal rerebraces which sit nicely under the shoulderplates. The lower arms are covered by vambraces which have a bear claw attached on the outer sides. The upper legs are covered by a skirt of several layered metal sheets reaching just below the groin. The lower legs are protected by greaves which have sharp pointed tips at the knee point.
The reinforced door slowly opened as Charlotte and her guests' eyes glanced over to whoever their guest was that entered. The woman was barely over five feet tall dawning the Mortadel knight armor minus the helm. Her hair was long and blonde, pulled back into a ponytail and braided, she started walking toward the thrones. A lavender rug runs down from the throne and splits to encircle the entire hall while pennant banners with golden embroideries hang from the walls. Between each banner stands a large candlestick, some of them have been lit and in turn illuminate the artistic depictions of gods and goddesses below them. "Your Royal Highness, I have a message that was instructed to be delivered to you personally."
Charlotte was taken aback by the news, she wasn't expecting to hear from anyone currently. What was so important that it needed to be delivered to the Queen herself and not a member of the council? "I see. Thank you very much, Dana. Hand it over and wait here for my response."
Dana Brooke was one of the co-captains of the Mortadel, mainly in charge of the knights that protected the city. The army of the Mortadel has four captains including Charlotte herself and the other two captains are the ones that have the thrones beside her. The Queen's friends both sat curiously on their thrones but remained silent as Dana walked up the small flight of steps and handed the note to the taller blonde. "Of course, your Majesty."
Untying the rolled-up piece of paper, Charlotte opened the message and read over it silently. "...!" The blonde's eyes widened; she bit into her bottom lip as her face turned into a scowl. Immediately after, the piece of paper was quickly enveloped by thick shards of ice which caught all three women off guard. Queen Charlotte was normally well composed and her powers never erupted like this. "How trustworthy is this report? This is a bold claim."
The woman to the Queen's right was the first to speak as she stood from her throne. "Char, what's going on?" Her blue hair was vibrant and long, trailing down her back. She looked to be a couple inches taller than Dana. She was very slender underneath the matching armor with the rest of her friends, she had light caramel skin. Unlike Charlotte's armor, her armor was light purple with white accents, a topaz glowing yellow in the center of the chest plate.
"The soldier that delivered the report to the town elders was insistent that it was true, your Majesty. Three of them witnessed the sighting."
"The sighting of what..? Char, fill us in." The woman sitting on the left throne asked, her curiosity over this situation growing. She was barely taller than the blue-haired knight, with light-green skin and medium-length dark brown roots that slowly turned into a dark auburn color. A feature that stood out were the two small branches that formed out of the knight's head. The branches had smaller portions that had flowering white dogwood on the ends. Her figure was wider than her friends yet still slender just curvier. Her armor matched the other two, the knight dawned light green armor with brown accents, an emerald with a green glow rested between the breasts.
Exhaling a sigh, the Queen dissolved the ice that had sporadically devoured the letter. The blonde monarch rarely lost her temper but, in this situation, it's been a rage building up inside all of them for some time now. Part of her really wanted to be true, but Charlotte knew it would be better if this was all naysay. "Someone is claiming to have witnessed Vyrolo flying over Mortadel land."
All four women in the throne room remained silent for a moment, the tension in the room was growing exponentially by the second. The brunette knight turned her head over to the unnamed blue-haired knight and noticed the instant shift in demeanor. Charlotte looked in the same direction, crossing her leg over the other. Dana could feel an immense amount of pressure building, the normally still banners hanging on the columns were flowing with the gusts of winds that instantly erupted in the room. "VYROLO?!" The holy knight shouted furiously, the shout only amplified the wind howling and raging in the room. A pair of large, white wings sprouted from her back and the force of the magic alone was enough to knock the smaller blonde off of the steps and slamming her back to the floor. "This bitch has risen again…"
The other holy knight was forced to hold an arm over her face, the explosion of magic pressure was only growing. Queen Charlotte didn't move an inch from her seat and instead scoffed at the display. "Cedes, power down!" The brunette shouted through the wind as she stood to her feet and carefully walked down the stairs to where their friend had been pushed back. "Sorry Dana."
"Thank you, Lady Bayley. I'm alright." The woman known as Bayley smiled as she reached out and grabbed the co-captain's hand and pulled her up.
Cedes balled her fists so hard that her fingers popped, she shook her head and started to take deep breaths in and out. Within a couple seconds, the wind had ceased but the wings remained on her back. "I understand the anger, Mercedes but going on a wild goose chase for her is pointless. First, we must confirm as to where this sighting was and see how reliable it is. Where was this sent from?" It was the Queen of Mortadel that spoke, staying surprisingly calm about the entire ordeal on the outside. On the inside, the high elf was extremely furious to the point that her magic alone could destroy the throne room from the pressure alone if it escaped.
"Hazelgrave, your Majesty." The knight responded quickly.
Charlotte clicked her lips together as both Bayley and Mercedes looked at Dana at the news. "Hazelgrave, there is only one person in that village that would know of Vyrolo."
"Oh, for fuck's sake, you mean that we have to see her again." The blue-haired angel scoffed, folding her arms over her chest. Mercedes didn't want to deal with someone that rubbed the Horsewomen the wrong way in the past. 'That damn doctor… She ruined everything.' Mercedes allowed her wings to disappear and slump back onto her throne. "Tch, but I suppose we can trust her word, because she's the only person alive right now that has seen Vyrolo."
"Exactly, Mercedes, I know you haven't forgiven her, but I hold no ill will toward her anymore. Behave this time." The dryad explained, Cedes was known to hold grudges, but Bayley understood her reasoning behind it. Bayley used to feel the same way, but no one is to blame for what transpired, all but Vyrolo.
"Can't promise that." Mercedes said nonchalantly with a shrug of her shoulders.
"What's in the past can't be changed, however talking to her and making certain is our priority." Charlotte ran a hand through her golden tresses and looked back to the messenger. "Dana, my response is simple, I desire the soldier that reported the sighting and Doctor Mero to report to the royal palace immediately. You are dismissed." It's been quite some time since the three had seen Daisy but even the Horsewomen knew to trust her word.
"Once we confirm that it's Vyrolo, I'm going to hunt that bitch down. I've been waiting six years to do so!" Since the war in Quven, that's the last time that anyone has supposedly since the white titan that rules the skies. No other dragon has dared enter her domain or challenge for the title. Every time during the war, the three were never able to catch up to the dragon. Vyrolo would be gone by the time they arrived.
"Not by yourself, you aren't. Mercedes, I'm not sure that the three of us would be able to take her down."
"Bayley, you are underestimating our resolve. We are going to behead that bitch and hang it above my throne. Her days are numbered, she won't be alive much longer." The high elf had the confidence that all three of them needed to have about the situation. Queen Charlotte was never going to heel for anyone and especially not to that bitch that has taken many lives and turned the world as they know it upside down. No matter what happens, Vyrolo needs to perish.
Toni's POV
My eyes stared up at the ceiling as the need for sleep dissolved. With the help from the medication that Doctor Mero had given me and Mina occasionally being able to use her healing magic on me, I am starting to feel much better physically. Mentally, I am still struggling to grasp that I am no one at the moment. Patience. It's a virtue I'm unsure that I have. What am I supposed to do until I figure out who I am? I-I don't know. The frustration is bubbling inside me and it's going to make me explode if I don't think of something. These thoughts were exiled from my mind whenever a gentle series of knocks were heard. Before I could give a verbal response, the door opened, and the visitor revealed themselves to be Nurse Shirakawa. "Good morning sweetie, how are you feeling today?"
"Good morning to you, Mina. I'm feeling better, that's for sure." Her gentle voice and angelic smile have been making me feel a sort of comfort that I truly needed. She's been trying her best to heal my wounds faster but apologizes whenever she feels like no progress was made. Her appearance this time wasn't her nurse's uniform but looked to be more casual wear. Mina's white dress flows from top to bottom and has a V-neck, which reveals a subtle amount of cleavage. The ornate corset of her dress covers her stomach where the continuous flow is broken up by a bright pink ribbon worn quite low around her waist. The dress flows gracefully and ends about mid-thigh. She's wearing black ballerina flats. This look is very simple and a combination of adorable and sexy at the same time. I'm not sure how a combination like that is possible but the Japanese woman pulls it off.
"I'm glad. I wanted to see if you wanted to go get some food. I have errands to run and thought you would like to get out of that bed."
The gesture managed to catch me off guard, Mina wanted me to go somewhere with her. Is that the smartest idea? I'm not one hundred percent but I'd rather not be stuck to the bed. Being alone in my thoughts is not healthy for me. "Are you certain that Doctor Mero would allow me off of bedrest?"
"Hm." Shirakawa tucked her hand underneath her chin and looked to be thinking. She clapped her hands together and gave me a smirk. "I'm your nurse and I say it's okay. Do you really want to sit alone here or go see the town?" The big-breasted angel asked, pointing back to the opened door.
"Would you not get in trouble?" I don't want to cause any drama between the two women who have been working nonstop since they found me unconscious at Harmony River. What a name for a river considering my circumstances. If I recall correctly, Doctor Mero lives at the clinic in a small interior that is conjoined to the clinic. After Mina went home, Daisy was the one that would check up on me until I fell asleep.
"As long as you stay with me, Daisy won't have a problem with it." The pink-haired woman reassured me that it was okay. With that, I nodded my head and that seemed to make the shorter woman extremely happy. Mina walked over to me and helped me sit up and dangle my feet off of the bed. A hand was placed on the small of my back as those soft brown eyes looked to me. "Do you want me to examine your wounds before we go?"
Lady luck has certainly been on my side so far with this unfortunate hand that my life has been given so far. Out of everything that has transpired, some greater force made sure that I would be found by some kindhearted strangers. "I won't overdo it." My answer seemed to have pleased Mina as I managed to stand up without any assistance from the nurse. We walked out of the room as I noticed someone lounging at one of the couches. "Oh, good morning, Doctor Mero."
The brunette tilted her head back to look at Mina and I, perhaps she was resting or even sleeping. "Morning." She responded, quickly getting out of her comfortable position and standing to her feet. The first thing I noticed was that the eyes that looked so soft yesterday looked lifeless today. The bags under her eyes are telling me that Daisy hasn't slept or barely slept. Being the only doctor in this village must be a tall order. "Are you going to head out with Mina?"
"I asked her to join me with my errands." Before I could even respond to the taller woman as she approached, Mina had answered her question.
Daisy nodded her head and turned her head toward the window. "Okay, it's quite chilly out." Her attention shifted back to me with a small smile on her face. Doctor Mero started undoing the strings at the top of her cloak. With little effort, she underdid the green cloak and wrapped it around me. "I wouldn't want you to get sick."
My cheeks felt a sudden rush of heat as the brunette worked on tying the strings of the cloak. What is this warm feeling that I am experiencing? "Oh. Thank you, won't you need it? I wouldn't want you to get sick either."
"Heh, a little cold doesn't bother me." She responded very smugly to my statement, folding her arms over her chest. I've never really paid attention to what Doctor Mero was wearing yesterday but today, I was curious. The brunette was wearing a renaissance style corset skirt that was brown and dark gray. It had pads that covered the shoulders but left much of the chest exposed, which allowed more of her bust to show. Three center buckles were made out of metal and were golden in color. It gave very steampunk vibes. The skirt part in the back was a floral pattern and the same brown as the corset, it was longer in the back and shorter in the front. The pants looked like dark gray dress pants, simple yet effective. "Mina, if you go to the usual spot, can you bring me back something to snack on?"
"There are no patients here, why don't you come with us?" The nurse suggested. I do like that idea; it would be nice to get to know them both a little more. After all they did save my life, I'm forever in their debt. I want to know more about my saviors.
"I have work to do. Be careful you two."
Hm, she couldn't afford to take a little break. It must be something very important. Let's not distract her further. Both of us departed from the clinic and started walking down the dirt part, it looked to lead toward the main road that went through the village. Come on, start a conversation with her. No need to be nervous, Mina is a sweetheart. "So, Mina...?" I waited for the pink-haired angel to look at me before continuing. "If you don't mind me asking, what made you want to become a nurse?"
"Whenever I was young, in my homeland of Japan, the dynasties were always at war. Pointless violence and many lives were lost, people that I knew, it broke my heart." Oh, you poor angel, no one should have to experience such tragedy. War and violence appear to be quite frequent around here. Why? Why must people be so cruel to the innocent? "I always hated fighting and violence, nothing good ever comes from it. Whenever I got the chance, I fled my homeland and crossed the ocean. I managed to travel to Mortadel, which is the name of the country we live in. For several years, I bounced around to different cities and helped in hospitals any way I could. Even if it was just volunteering, I wanted to make a difference. Soon, I made it here to Hazelgrave and it's my home now."
"I see. I feel really bad that I was so suspicious of you and the others whenever you found me. I barely know you, but I can really see how pure your heart is. You were able to find your calling in life."
"Don't worry about it, I would have been very scared too if the shoe was on the other foot." Mina grabbed onto my wrist and flashed me another sincere smile. She guided me astray from the dirt path and away from the houses of the village. "We are going to find out who you are, I promise. It will take time but I'm sure your memories will come back." I hope you are right, you big-breasted angel. Good lord, why do my eyes like to fixate on that feature about her? It's so perverted. I noticed that my eyes would be scanning the three more intently than I originally should have.
"Thank you, Mina." I turned my head back in the general direction where we walked from, the buildings were getting further and further away. I thought that I was going to be shown the village. Why are we leaving it? I'm confused. "Where are we going again? This is leading back out toward the meadow."
The shorter woman made an o-shape with her mouth before giggling. "Right, I forgot to explain, silly me. Every week or so, I go out to the meadow and pick some flowers. I take them to the cemetery and put them on the graves there."
"Graves. Are they for people that you knew?"
"No, I never knew them but a lot of them were soldiers. Deonna and Daisy knew them. I try to pay respects as often as I can." Deonna is a soldier and has probably seen war and many horrible things. I can't imagine her grief; a lot of those people were her friends or people she at least cared about. Doctor Mero must have a similar experience. It's no wonder they were so kind and rescued me. They probably don't want more death surrounding their home. I wouldn't. I'll make sure to pick the prettiest flowers for them. It's not much but I'll pay my respects too.
"Mina? What are you doing out here?" A familiar voice questioned her as the sound of multiple pairs of heavy footsteps could be heard. We turned around to see Deonna making her way toward us, dawning the same armor I saw her in yesterday. I'd imagine wearing that all the time must be quite heavy. But this time, she wasn't alone and was accompanied by a female stranger. This woman was quite taller than Deonna with very striking yellow hair, it was partially shaved on one side, parted to the left. It was medium length and very curly. Despite being in the same armor as the raven-haired woman beside her, I could tell that her shoulders were broader and had a bigger chest. Deonna turned to me. "You brought the new girl out here as well."
"Good morning, Deonna, yes, we are going to get some flowers." The Japanese woman beside me said with excitement.
The unnamed stranger shifted her gaze over to me, she eyed me from head to toe. "Oh, this is the new girl you were talking about. She's cute." Oh, I wasn't expecting her to compliment me that. I don't know what to say, she thinks I'm cute. How do I respond?
Deonna scoffed, smacking the taller woman upside the head. "Don't you think about it; she doesn't need you hounding her." I don't know why but I released a small chuckle at the action. The raven-haired soldier looked over to me with a small smile and then pointed to the soldier beside her. "This is Taya Valkyrie; she's one of my closest friends and a pain in my ass."
Taya. I'll need to remember that if she's best friends with Deonna. Taya shrugged her shoulders and smirked at her best friend. She walked over to me and extended her hand out. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Hey nice to meet you, what do I call you?"
"I… Uh..Um, I don't know." I've been trying so hard to remember anything revolving around my past self but it's to no avail. Shirakawa explained that it might take some time for my memories to restore themselves. I'm scared that they might never restore themselves. I'm left to wonder about any potential friends or family. Are they looking for me? Do they care?
Taya gave me a confused look and it made me feel embarrassed. What was I supposed to say? I don't know what my name is. Deonna took a couple steps closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. She smiled at me again and it managed to bring me some sort of comfort. "Why don't we think of a name for you? Something temporary until your memories come back."
"Okay." A name would feel nice. I wouldn't be a husk of a person. I would have my own identity until I remembered my actual name. "What do you have in mind, Deonna?"
"Give time to think of something, let's see, what do you look like to me?" Miss Purrazzo continued to look at me in deep thought. Taya appears to also be thinking hard about something, about what, I have no clue.
"Angel." Surprisingly it wasn't Deonna who suggested a name first instead it was the nurse standing beside me. "Her name should be Angel."
"What made you think of that?" I would also like to know the reasoning behind this name.
"Hmm, I remember her calling me an angel, but the name also means heavenly messenger. If we didn't stop to look more at the dragon, we might have missed her. I think that alone was a sign from a God in some way." She explained. Finding me after seeing a dragon was a sign from a god, I'm not sure how that makes sense. Mina is an angel though truly, if anyone deserves that name it's her.
"Oh yeah, you have a point there." The soldier agreed and turned to me. "What do you think about it?"
"Um, Angel, yeah I think I can get behind that." Something, anything, to give me an identity. It will help make me feel like an actual person. Angel is a beautiful name, and I hope that it actually fits me.
"Yay it's settled, you're Angel now!" The pink-haired woman shouted in excitement, grabbing onto my hands. She bounced up and down with a big smile on her face. My eyes couldn't help but glance down to her breasts as they bounced. Why is that something I am interested in? That is more perverted in nature, was I always this way? More importantly, how does she not have back pain? "Deonna, do you want to run errands with us?"
"I'd prefer to go with you guys. I don't want you two going out of town by yourselves." I adore this friendship dynamic. Purrazzo really is the overprotective one of the group even if she doesn't show it often. Underneath that usually stoic expression is a caring individual that loves her friends.
"I do it all the time, Deonna! I'm a big girl." The pouting face that Shirakawa did while her arms rested on her hips was adorable.
Mina's protesting like a child, the soldier shrugged her shoulders. "Better to be safe than sorry, Angel's still recovering." Using me as the excuse to tag along whenever it's for both of us, she's trying to be subtle about it. The raven-haired woman turned to her friend. "Taya, I'll talk to you later."
Taya and Deonna shared a little fist bump with each other. I wonder how their friendship came about. Was it simply because they are soldiers or were they friends beforehand? There is so much that I don't know and so much to learn. It can be seen as overwhelming, but I might enjoy learning all I can about my friends. "Yeah, I have to get back to work soon anyways. See you Mina, and nice to meet you, Angel. Take care."
"You too." The yellow-haired woman is as nice as her friends. I wonder what makes her hair that bright, is that her natural hair? I watched her head back toward the village and eventually the three of us started making our way closer to the meadow. I glanced over to the raven-haired woman, who noticed my staring. Her brow arched, I already learned a little bit about Mina and why she chose her path in life. "Deonna, can I ask you a few things?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"Are you from Hazelgrave? What made you want to be a soldier?" I started with the first two questions that came to mind.
Purrazzo shook her head. "No, I'm not. My home country is called Zaravilla, it's across the ocean. My family moved to Mortadel whenever I was a child." Another person that came across the ocean to find a better home in Hazelgrave. Is the world outside of this kingdom really that bad? "Being a soldier was something I always wanted; I wanted to be viewed as equal to men. The men in my family, especially my father and uncles, had strong beliefs that the husband makes the money, and the wives were meant to cook, clean and care for the children. Tch, stupid ideology, Mina, Daisy and I are examples as to why that tradition is a load of shit." She stated proudly.
Those traditions really sound like a bunch of bullshit, women can be just as powerful as men. I couldn't help but stare in awe. Not many people would rebel against men and their beliefs then again, I am just assuming. "I admire your courage to stand up against those who didn't believe in you. You're so strong, Deonna. I'm not sure I would be capable of doing any of that."
"T-Thanks." She stuttered which was something I was not expecting. Did I really manage to catch her off guard with my compliments? Deonna regained her composure and flashed me a small grin while placing a hand on my shoulder. "And don't sell yourself short, you don't know unless you try. The fact that you are still alive and moving like this a day after we found you; it tells me that you are stubborn and strong yourself."
"..I-I'm stubborn and strong." Wow, I wouldn't have really thought about my survival in such a way. I wanted to think of it as lucky but at the same time, it's also pretty cruel. But even if that's the truth, life is also what you make of it, and I want this to be a positive experience for me. And for someone as strong as Deonna to tell me something like that, it's very flattering.
"She's right, you know. You are very strong. I believe it too." Mina grabbed onto my hand and continued to smile big. I'm not as strong as the three of them but I want to believe their words. I'm alive. I'm already able to walk around and do things other patients might not be able to do. "Oh Angel, we are here, let's go get some flowers!" With my hand laced with hers, she practically dragged me toward a section of this massive field. At first, I was picking whatever looked the prettiest to pay my respects with. Mina grabbed a sunflower and looked at me with a smile, her hand started playing with some strands of my hair, tucking them behind my ear. I was confused by the action, what was she doing? The pink-haired woman placed the flower on top of my ear and remarked how cute I looked with it. I found myself flustered at the gesture.
Thinking to myself, I wanted to return the gesture and find one that would really fit Mina. I found a beautiful pink lily that would go with her hair beautifully. I motioned for her to come back over to me and repeated the same actions as the nurse previously did. Shirakawa adored the flower, thanking me. The raven-haired soldier never joined us in the activity of flower picking but instead opted to stand and watch. I wanted Deonna to feel included so I scanned the flowers in front of me and picked the one I thought would suit her best. I stood back up and walked over to her. "Deonna, do you want one?" I asked, holding up a red poppy that I had picked specifically for the raven-haired woman. She has such a fire about her and this bright red really shows it.
The soldier arched her brow, her eyes glancing between me and the flower in my hands. "Uh, not really." She lightly scoffed. I looked back down to the flower with a frown. I get the feeling that she doesn't like super feminine things, but I thought she'd like this. Deonna remained silent for a few more seconds before finally speaking again. "...But I suppose it wouldn't hurt."
With a satisfied smile on my face, I moved the strands of hair of Deonna's away and tucked them behind her ear. After that I placed the poppy comfortably on top of her ear, the soldier looked at me almost bashfully until I stepped away. Deonna remained in the same spot, watching as Mina dragged me over to her favorite flowers. This meadow was a rainbow of colorful flowers. Forget-me-nots, roses, lilies, orchids, daisies, sunflowers, you name it and it's probably somewhere in this field. The two of us spent several minutes gathering loads of flowers for the graves and memorials. Shirakawa taught me all about them and their meanings. Despite some flowers only meant to bloom in the autumn and winter seasons, in Mortadel all kinds grow year around. We opted for yarrows, rosemary, daisies and roses.
Once satisfied with our haul, the three of us adventured back into the village. This time I was able to see other parts of it. There were several people out and about, most of them were super friendly and waved or said hello to Mina and Deonna. The atmosphere revolving around the townspeople is lovely. I'm adoring all the happy smiles and friendly actions. The three of us passed by several shops and businesses, the one that stood out the most for me were the blacksmith, the magic shop and the two clothing shops next to it. We walked away from the central plaza and made it to Sombre Oaks Cemetery. There weren't as many tombstones like I expected but there was a big monument. Deonna explained that this statue was to remember the soldiers that had fallen in battle, but their bodies were never able to be recovered. That's sad. So many families never got closure and to bury their loved ones. I'm left to wonder if my family is even bothering to look for me. Did they mourn me?
Shirakawa took the time to say a little prayer after placing all the flowers on the tombstones. I glanced at all of the names; I was hoping that maybe something here might stand out to me. Nothing did, of course not. Going back toward the central plaza, my attention went to a decent sized statue that was surrounded by beds of flowers and a fountain behind her. It looked to be about ten feet tall made out of a reddish-orange stone. A feature that stood out the most to me was that the woman looked to have two horns on her head, thick at the base and curled into a thin tip. Dawning armor that looked different from Deonna's, she was holding the handle of a broadsword, and the weapon was stabbed into the ground in front of her. The woman also had a very thin tail with an upside-down heart shaped tip. "Oh, this statue is beautiful. Who is she?"
Both of the women beside me looked at the statue and then at each other. Deonna was the one that spoke. "One of the four Horsewomen, they are legendary warriors that are feared across the kingdoms. Women that are so powerful that the four of them alone might be equivalent to over a thousand soldiers. We as soldiers strive to be like them, especially women like Taya and myself." I couldn't help but stare in awe at the statue again. Women of legendary status, it's amazing to think about. This woman is one of the four.
"The leader of the Horsewomen is actually the sole ruler of Mortadel." Mina added in.
"Wow. Is this the queen?" A legendary warrior that is also the queen of the kingdom we live in. Not only that, but she also rules without a king by her side. That breaks the normality of things, doesn't it? They are defying the odds and doing amazing things, like Deonna wants to do. A woman so strong that she can rule and protect her people. Being a queen does sound like a lot of work, but I wish that one day I could amount to something so great.
"No, she's not but regardless she's a hero nonetheless." The raven-haired soldier looked away from the statue and pointed back down the cobblestone sidewalk that led out of the plaza and back toward the clinic. "Come, let's go grab some food. We know the best place in all of Hazelgrave." My stomach rumbled at the mention of some food, I felt embarrassed whenever the nurse looked at me.
The walk only took a couple minutes until we stood outside of a place called Ethereal Wildcat Tavern. From the outside it looks intimate, humble and warm. Hardwood planks and intricate stone carvings make up most of the building's outer structure. It's impossible to see through the large, stained-glass windows, but the energy and excitement from within can be felt outside. The second that the three of us entered through the singular hardwood door, I was immediately greeted with the aroma of dozens of cooked meals and alcohol. The inside of the tavern was heavily packed with the counter at the bar not having a single seat opened. It's as alluring inside as it is on the outside. Several walls support the upper floor, and the sconces attached to them. The walls are packed with all sorts of travel memorabilia, most likely all collected by the owner. Male soldiers looked to be the primary customers at the moment, but a handful were not wearing armor.
A woman behind the counter noticed our presence and beamed a bright smile. She wasn't wearing the same type of outfits compared to the waitresses. She approached. "Oh, Mina and Deonna, good afternoon! Do you ladies want the usu- " Her blue eyes shifted over to me. "Oh my, I'm sorry, I didn't see you ladies had company." Her hair is long, straight and blonde trailing down past her chest. Sporting a black leather corset and matching pants, it shows off her slender figure. She's a little bit taller than I am and I'm guessing that's the case even without the black pump heels she's wearing. Doing a hypothetical guess, I believe that whoever this woman is a bit older than the three of us so perhaps above fifty.
Mina gestured over to me. "This is Angel, she's a patient at the clinic right now but I thought it would be good for her to get some fresh air for a bit."
"Ever the thoughtful one you are Mina sweetie, my name's Rena Mero, I'm the owner of this tavern." Mero..? Is this person related to Daisy in some way or is the last name Mero popular amongst this land?
"Nice to meet you, Miss Mero."
Rena's eyes looked me over again with a smile and I noticed that the blonde focused on the cloak for several seconds. "Where's Daisy at? Were you not able to drag her ass away from her work?"
"I tried, she said she was busy." Shirakawa said with a shrug of her shoulders. I am quite curious as to what Doctor Mero was going to be working on. The clinic was empty. Maybe she lied so she would be able to have some time to rest.
Rena exhaled a sigh, shaking her head. "That child, she is stubborn, I wish she shouldn't drown herself in work. I'm assuming she wants the same thing as usual." She's referring to Daisy as a child so perhaps this is her mother or motherly figure. It sounds like the doctor is constantly working and barely does anything else.
"Here Angel, look at the menu." The Japanese angel beside me suggested, passing over a worn-out paper that had things written out in black ink. There were so many things that it was almost overwhelming. I don't know what to pick but it all sounds so good.
"Okay but I don't have any money."
"Don't worry about it, we got it covered." Deonna spoke for the first time since entering the tavern. Oh wow, I'm going to be thankful for being saved by such nice people. How am I ever going to repay them for their kindness? The soldier took a couple steps forward to stand next to me. A pair of male soldiers were walking this way, I felt uncomfortable whenever I realized that their eyes were staring at me. "Don't you even think about it, keep walking, she's not interested."
The raven-haired woman shooed the two men away, who mumbled swears under their breath. Oh, thank goddess, I'm not sure how I'd feel hanging around strangers right now. I mean Mina and Deonna aren't strangers and I barely know them, but I trust them. I looked back down to the menu. What kinds of foods do I enjoy anyways? Do I normally eat meat? Do I have a sweet tooth? Fuck if I know, but thinking about it further will only annoy me. "What would you recommend? I'm not sure what I like and dislike."
"Personally, I love the smoked wild turkey and zucchini porridge."
"I get the charred wild boar and potato chowder."
"There's so many options… I think I'll try the same thing as Deonna this time." If all of the girls eat here all the time, I'll be able to try many more food items. Potato chowder sounds lovely right now.
"Coming right up, I'll bring it out to you ladies whenever it's done." The three of us said our thanks and Rena departed to head back toward the kitchen area. Deonna took the lead, and we surprisingly left the tavern. I wasn't sure why until we went around the back to a patio area that had several tables vacant. Deonna and Mina lead me over to a vacated corner table.
"Thank you, ladies, for buying my food." I spoke to the two as I took my seat across from them.
"Come on now, we weren't going to bring you here and not feed you. Don't worry your pretty little head." Miss Purrazzo responded nonchalantly, stretching out her legs and putting her feet on the empty seats near her. P-Pretty? She thinks I'm pretty. Why does it make me feel warm inside again?
"Exactly, we are going to take care of you." The pink-haired nurse told me, reaching over and placing a hand over one of mine. Mina is really touchy with me but then again, it is really comforting. Those soft brown eyes looked away from me and were focusing on something behind me. "Oh, look who decided to come be social with her friends. About time, we just ordered."
Judging by the happy expression on Shirakawa's face, there is only one person that she could be talking about. Walking toward us was Daisy, who still had the same tired expression on her face. Her hands tucked away in her pants pockets, she made her way over to the table. She looked down at the boots in the vacant seat and smacked them away, Deonna muttered under her breath. Their hostility toward each other still confuses me. Is this who they show affection toward each other? "Oh Doctor, I'm glad to see that you finished your work."
"I took a break and figured you all would be up here." Oh, she's still not done, that sucks. What is so important that it's taking so long to complete? Daisy took the seat next to me and turned her gaze to me. She gave a small smile. "How are you feeling? You aren't overexerting yourself, are you?"
I know that it is her job to check up on me but part of me feels like she's not asking me solely because I am a patient. "Angel's fine, Daiz, relax." The Japanese nurse soothed her boss.
"Angel?"
Doctor Mero gave me a slightly confused look, cocking her head slightly at the name. "Um yeah, Deonna suggested that I use a temporary name until I can remember my real one. Mina suggested Angel." I appreciate that so much, it gives me even the slightest bit of an identity now. It's relieving in some ways. There is at least a name to my face even if it's not the one I was accustomed to in the past.
"Cool cool. I think that name suits you." Her smile widened, and I giggled at the compliment. Mina's reasoning for my name's origin makes sense to me. I'm more excited to have this little piece to help me with my new life going forward. "But you didn't answer my questions, I need to know how you are doing, have any symptoms shown back up?"
Right. She's not only talking to me as a friend but also as my doctor. I shook my head. "No. I'm feeling way better. You and Mina have really done an amazing job with fixing me up."
Daisy seemed very pleased with the answer. "I'm glad that we did, if it wasn't for Mina's healing magic, your progress would be a lot slower. I should be able to remove the stitches here in a few days." These wounds are going to leave a scar but that doesn't matter to me much. I'm alive and it's thanks to them. I still hold a strong desire to find out who or what caused me such harm. Was the culprit a monster or another person, perhaps a combination of the two? They mentioned a dragon earlier that they saw before finding me. Is that beast connected in any way? Nah, that's ridiculous.
"I agree with you; Angel doesn't need to be in the clinic much longer."
"I'm still suggesting she stay for another night for observation. I want to be one hundred percent certain."
"Yeah. If that's what you think is best for me, I won't argue against it." I mean, it would be pointless to argue against that logic. They knew way more than I do. Being in that room could be really lonely especially at night, I'm not sure why. I don't like sleeping alone. But I'm sure that's because I've been scared and in an unfamiliar place. My mind started to think about tomorrow and what the future holds for me. "But..."
All three of them looked at me and waited for me to finish speaking but I didn't say anything else. "What's wrong?" The raven-haired soldier asked.
What's going to happen to me? Where am I going to go? Do I leave Hazelgrave and attempt to figure out who I am? Do I stay here and make a new life for myself? "After I'm discharged, what am I going to do?" I don't have a place to live or a job that I am aware of. All I have right now is a name that is fabricated to have some sort of normality.
"Are you thinking we would throw you out and leave you to fend for yourself?" The raven-haired woman questioned with a slightly offended tone. I didn't mean to offend anyone, but I don't think any of them are like that to begin with.
"I… I wasn't thinking about it like that."
Doctor Mero placed her hand underneath her chin and thought about my question for the moment. Those gorgeous hazel eyes livened up a little bit. She looked at the other women and back to me, her lips curled into a wide smile. "Well, I need that room for future patients, but for the time being, I think one of us can accommodate you. Right ladies?"
"Yeah, until you get back on your feet and remember, one of us can totally take you in." My heart starts to beat a little faster whenever Mina agrees with Daisy about my living situation. I'm still technically a stranger to them and myself. How did I get so lucky to find such nice people?
"I'm not at home all the time but I have a spare room at my place." Deonna added in.
"I.. Oh wow, you all are so generous."
"None of us want to pressure you can take your time to decide, Angel. What's most important is your comfort so you pick who you want to stay with. Either way, you'll be seeing all of us around." The brunette soothed and all I could really do was nod my head at her suggestion. All three of them do feel like the right choice to be around. I'd be living with one of these ladies for an unknown amount of time until I can get my shit together. Each one of them has shown that they care about me and my wellbeing, and it goes beyond their jobs. They wouldn't be offering this or paying for my food otherwise. All sweethearts and I'm going to find a way to repay them for their kindness. More importantly, who am I going to pick?
Author's Note: For the first important choice of the story, the readers will decide who Angel/Toni will be staying with. By choosing one of the three, it will start the path to the pair being potential lovers in the future and other things are determined by it. There are actually four choices, keeping Angel/Toni single but I highly doubt that would win but for a twist choice, it will remain. People of FF and Ao3 will be able to submit votes. You can vote in the poll I will put on the profile, DM me your choice and leave reviews with your choice. I'll give it several weeks to allow time to vote. Choose carefully and see you next time.