Akari
Akari quickly drifted off to sleep with the lulling of the crackling fire and the soft din of voices around her, despite the pain in her wrists. She should have decided to wear gloves or something yesterday so sheâd have them today to protect against the rough sinews of the rope.
She was rudely awakened by a man shoving her in the side with his boot, soon moving off to do the same to Ikaru. Akari groaned quietly, shifting more to her side to attempt to stretch. Voices stirred loudly in the background, and everyone seemed to be packing up to move on, which meantâŠ. Akari felt hands at her ropes once more, removing her from the wagon wheel before retying her tightly. She let out a hiss of breath, wincing down at the ground. The man just smirked down at her with a cruel grin, something in his eyes told her to shut up before she got herself into more trouble.
They soon replaced Ikaru and Akari back into the wagon, not gently at all, and they were soon off again.
Ikaru
Abruptly, one of the men rudely kicked Ikaru awake. These bandits had no manners. They were worse than Akari. Ikaru glanced at her for a moment, seeing if she was alright. Soon, the bandits had the camp packed up. The men then turned their attention to their prisoners, unbound them from the wheels and bound their hands to their feet with a bit of rope again. Ikaruâs attention immediately turned to Akari as she hissed in pain, and he glared at the men. Before he could say anything and get himself in trouble again, they picked him up and tossed him in the back with Akari soon following. The boxes were replaced and the wagon commenced its rumbling down the dirt road.
After a bit of squirming, Ikaru was able to pull himself back into a sitting position, adjusting himself so the rope was not directly under him. The rough ropes were digging in to his skin, cutting off circulation to his tingling hands, but he ignored the sensation. There was nothing he could do about it, so there was no point worrying. Though Ikaru was listening for it, the wagon never began to pick up speed, and there was no sign of any pursuit. He began to feel discouraged, wondering if they would be found at all. The bandits had avoided talking about anything important or useful in front of them so far, but Ikaru resolved to listen closely anyway.
Despite the silence of the day before, Akari and Ikaru did have a few shallow, strained conversations to pass the time, but more often than not, they simply lapsed into silence. The day passed slowly in the hot back of the wagon. It was already fall, but the days were still hot, which was even worse in such a small, unventilated space.
Finally, they stopped once more, and a masked man again rudely dragged Ikaru and Akari out and threw them to the ground on their knees. The men again hustled to set up camp, and food was soon cooking. They were bound to the wheels by the same young man, but Ikaru paid no attention to him, instead listening closely for anything he could pick out of the bandits conversation.
Akari
Akari remained rather quiet on the roads, except for when Ikaru struck up conversation, and even then it was awkward and no better than when they had been silent. She continued to listen every once in awhile for Hikari, who was pretty much her only solace on the road other than when it was time to eat.
As the lighting darkened within the wagon, Akari looked up from her thoughts, which were quite miserable to be honest, and braced herself for the rough treatment that was to follow. As Ikaru and Akari thumped to the ground, the bustle that was normal after they stopped yesterday began up again. Soon the aroma of food cooking flashed through the area, it smelled just a bit different, but as they were served and their hands untied, it was still very good. That was pretty much the only thing that was going for them.
Akari ate with extreme sluggishness, enjoying the amount of time she had to get the blood back into her hands and keep the rough texture off. However, it was short lived for as soon as she finished her bowl, the young man returned to tie them up again. After he tied Ikaru back up again and moved back over to her, she looked at him with a troubled face, though it still had humility; of course it did, her circumstances demanded it. She leaned up and spoke quietly. âPlease, could you not tie them so tight⊠I know itâs stupid to ask, but⊠still, is there any possibility. Just a little bit looser, not much.â He looked at her for a few seconds, before dipping his head slightly and relaxing the ropes ever so slightly more, and even so it was a huge relief on her wrists. âThank you.â She mumbled lightly, resting her head back on the wagon wheel, closing her eyes lightly, playing a small tune in her head to herself. It was something to calm her down so she wouldnât lose it. She needed to be strong, or else sheâd find herself in worse conditions.
Ikaru
Ikaru was glad when they were again given food. They had not had anything since the night before and Ikaru was getting irritated at the banditsâ complete lack of regard. At least their cooking was edible. While he was this hungry, he could even say it was delicious, though there were a thousand things he would rather eat.
Though he listened closely to what he could hear of the menâs conversations, whenever they began to encroach on something that could be useful to him, the Leader glared and they fell silent again. All too soon, he was finished with his food. The young man took the bowl and tied his hands again. Ikaru gave a sigh at the treatment, already missing the slight freedom.
He was about to resume his spying on the banditsâ conversation, when he heard Akari plead with the young man to loosen her ropes slightly. The exchange immediately got Ikaruâs attention, and he turned his head to watch them discreetly out of the corner of his eye. He smiled, quickly returning his features to an emotionless expression to hide his thoughts. âPerhaps Akari is smarter than she acts. Now she might be able toâŠâ
Finally, the young man walked away, and Ikaru whispered to Akari in a tone that the men could not overhear, âGreat idea. Can you slip out? Wait until everyone is asleep to move, of course. But can you?â There was a certain eager hope in his eyes, along with a desire to get away from these crazy men.
Akari
Akari let out a small sigh before her eyes flickered open at Ikaruâs hushed voice, âGreat idea. Can you slip out? Wait until everyone is asleep to move, of course. But can you?â She glared at him subtly, her nostrils flaring ever so slightly. âNo, I canât.â She said simply, saying nothing more. Akari looked the other way before sighting up at the trees. She whistled every so softly, almost as quiet as a gentle breeze, more of an exhale than a note at any rate. She received a small chirp back from somewhere within the forest.
She smiled inwardly, now sheâd have something to entertain herself with tomorrow, plus a bit of extra distractions.
Ikaru
Ikaru let out a frustrated sigh as she said she could not get out of the loosened restraints. She really was impossible sometimes, and Ikaru wondered why she had to act so immature. He kept hearing a small bird chirping, and the noise grated on his nerves. The men began laughing loudly, and one of them passed by, moving to the front of the wagon.
Ikaru waited until he returned to the campfire before speaking to Akari again, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. âDid you even try?â He ended up sounding rather scolding, but he did not especially care. They had to get away somehow, but nothing was coming to him yet. The bandits were far to careful.
Akari
Akari clamped her own mouth shut as one of the bandits passed by before returning to his previous place by the warmth of the fire. A very irritated voice followed the disappearance of the guy, Ikaru practically scolding her. âDid you even try?â She rolled her eyes before snapping back a harsh comment. âNo, and Iâm not going to. My wrists are already raw-â She cut herself off as another man grew nearer before disappearing into the forest before she continued. âAnd he was nice enough to do so, so Iâm not just about to stab him in the back and get him killed by his buddies for that attempt. I donât know what they saw or heard between us, so just deal with it. Yes, of course I want to get away as well, but now isnât the right time.â After supplying her reasons she set her shoulders back a bit.
Ikaru
âNo, and Iâm not going to. My wrists are already raw-â Ikaru let out an exasperated sigh when she answered him with rather whiny excuses. Her wrists hurt? Is that why she had been looking so in pain for the past couple days? He was forced to wait before saying anything as yet another of the men passed by them. Akari beat him to speaking just as the man was far enough away. âAnd he was nice enough to do so, so Iâm not just about to stab him in the back and get him killed by his buddies for that attempt. I donât know what they saw or heard between us, so just deal with it. Yes, of course I want to get away as well, but now isnât the right time.â
Ikaru felt his irritation growing, and just managed to get it back under control. He spoke in an icy tone, âYou are concerned about him? He is one of the ones who kidnapped us, for crying out loud!â He gave a sigh and lowered his voice slightly. âAnd why would this not be the âright timeâ if we get the opportunity to escape?â he said mockingly before continuing. âOr are you just too concerned about your new little friend?â âHe probably just wanted to keep you from whining about it,â Ikaru thought, just barely keeping himself from saying it as he turned his face away toward the fire.
Akari
Akari frowned at him deeply with irritation, âYou are concerned about him? He is one of the ones who kidnapped us, for crying out loud!â She rolled her eyes, âYouâre such a noob, you have absolutely no idea-â She was quickly cut off by the boss of the bandits sauntering over with his own irritated look. âBoth of you shut up before I decide to gag the lot of you!â He huffed with a coarse tone. He seemed a bit drunk, by the way his speech sounded and how held himself.
Akari smirked, holding back the smallest of laughs, knowing that if she had laughed, the boss would take it the wrong way. âAt least itâll get this idiot to shut up and I wouldnât have to deal with his stupid questions.â Her face remained a slightly troubled blank mask, suddenly uneasy at the manâs proximity.
Ikaru
The Leader suddenly came over to them, and Ikaru realized just how loudly they had been arguing. He wondered how much the man had heard, but knew only a fool would actually ask about something like that. Ikaru could smell the alcohol on the manâs breath, even as he towered over them, and the scent made him want to gag. âThese commoners certainly are not picky about what they drink,â he thought.
The Leader seemed to take Ikaru's repulsion as submission, and he gave a sneer before walking away and shouting at the rowdy men surrounding the campfire, who were most likely also drunk. âTrathe, Laturo, take first watch. The rest of you get some shut eye.â At their hesitation he bellowed, âGo!â His voice was loud enough to make a small flock of birds scatter out of the forest, disappearing into the night.
The camp became deathly silent as each man went to his place, and the night became unnaturallly still. It was in this unnatural stillness that Ikaru finally fell into an unsettled sleep.
As one week slowly passed into the second, Ikaru began to adjust to the daily routine. Waking up every morning, being thrown into the back of the wagon, attempting conversation with Akari, getting dragged out of the cart at the end of the day, eating, perhaps some more conversation or arguing after dinner before falling asleep and starting it over again. There were a couple times when there was a commotion of men yelling outside the wagon, followed by an increase of speed, but it was only a short time before they slowed again and resumed the normal pace. Overall, there was not much variation to their day, though Ikaru felt that it was getting easier to talk with Akari, or he was at least getting used to her.
They seemed to be heading north, and the weather began to turn cold. Gradually, the deciduous trees, bright with autumn colors, were replaced by evergreens. Ikaru had no idea where they were going, or why they were even going so far, especially if the bandits just wanted a ransom. When he asked, he was only told to mind his business. Though that technically was his business, he did not push it further.
As they continued to get further from civilization, and all hope of rescue had faded, the bandits slowly began to give them more freedom, simply tying their hands in front of them instead of binding them behind and tying their feet. Eventually, they did not even tie their hands while they slept, just their waist and upper arms. However, by then, Ikaru knew it would be difficult to get away from the men for long, and even worse to get home safely, but he never stopped looking for opportunities.
He and Akari had only been allowed to bathe once, but only under close guard with the Leader threatening to kill Akari if he tried anything. Their clothing, once fine, was now filthy and ragged, and it was quickly obvious they were not dressed properly for the coming winter weather, especially this far up north. He began to be concerned, especially for Akari, when they were not even given blankets over night. He would have to do something about it soonâŠ.
Akari
As the days wore on, Akari quickly picked up the schedule of everyday camp life and the transitions in between. She paid little mind to most everything around her, her attention mainly centered on Hikari, or the better memories sheâd had of outdoors, comparing past and present situations and a few tricks as well.
They continued along at the same pace, although once or twice she heard a ruckus outside and they sped up for a little while. Akari had given up hope of any rescue quite awhile ago, having already been aware of the implications between her relationship to her family, as well as her actions and personality. She figured the only reason theyâd be getting rescued was because of Ikaru, and even then he wasnât all that great of an asset either.
She could tell one thing though, they were certainly headed up north, although the reasoning behind such an action was unknown to her. Ikaru had questioned it one night, but was quickly shot down. One of the perks of heading further away from her home was that, one, more freedom and less raw wrists, two, the possibility of being dragged back to where she didnât want to go was dwindling, and three, being around the bandits every night allowed her to get to know them more, especially the young man.
Of course it was little details that she picked up from conversations, but with the young man, whose name she discovered was Hayato, the relations were better and she got perks for it as well. A little extra food here, a bit more leash length, etc.
Akari and Ikaru were even allowed to bathe once, which was a huge relief. Getting the grime off and getting rid of the scent around them was certainly a pleasurable experience, although dampened by the fact they had had to return to their dirty tattered clothing. The nights also grew chillier, and Akari found herself shivering on at least two occasions, worrying over if she got sick they wouldnât try to help her. Sure, circumstances werenât ideal, but sheâd rather not die. She made small hints and at once an inquiry to Hayato, but at first he didnât catch on or pretended not to, and at her blatant question he just kind of shrugged and left.
Ikaru
Ikaru soon became frustrated with the Leaderâs apathy toward Akariâs lack of appropriate clothing for the cold. She had already asked her little friend, Hayato or something similar, for something to keep warm. He merely shrugged and walked away, as if it was not his problem. The whole situation irritated Ikaru. He felt there was no excusing their behavior, especially when they themselves began donning cloaks and heavier clothing.
Finally, he cracked, standing to his feet as the bandits were setting up camp once more. The night was cold, and he could already see Akari shivering. Though his hands were still bound, and they had been prisoners for nearly three weeks at that point, Ikaru had not lost any of his haughtiness.
âHow can you sit around making a fire and keeping warm in your blasted cloaks when she sits there shivering? Do you not have enough decency to give her proper clothing? Or are you merely lacking any form of respect?â he demanded in his most condescending tone.
The Leader strode over, irritation plain on his face as he pointed to the spot Ikaru had just vacated. âSit, boy, or believe me, you will lose whatever misplaced dignity you have left,â he said, his voice low and threatening.
Instead of heeding the threat, Ikaru took a step closer, confidently glaring up into the manâs face though he was almost a head taller than Ikaru. âMisplaced dignity?â Ikaru asked, sounding outraged. âYou are the one with misplaced dignity, leaving a woman to weather the cold while you sit, warm and jolly, around a fire. What kind of honorless worm would do something so pathetic?â he spat out, not caring that he was already deep in dangerous waters.
âOh? You want to debate honor now, do you?â There was an odd amusement in his voice, as if he was about to have some long awaited fun. All the men paused in their activities, watching the argument with intrigued smirks as if they knew where this was going. Ikaru thought he knew as well. They would have a duel. The Leader nodded to one of the men, who drew his sword and approached Ikaru. Ikaru watched unflinchingly as the man sliced through his bonds and handed him the weapon, a hand and a half double edged sword. He gave the weapon a few swings, testing its balance. One of the others, Laturo if Ikaru remembered correctly, gave a questioning, âSir?â that was quickly silenced by the Leaderâs glare. Ikaruâs only response was to adjust hi glasses, making sure they would not fall off his nose during the fight.
Ikaru took his stance as the Leader drew his own sword, a two handed blade that was quite a bit longer than Ikaruâs. They circled for a moment, the flickering light of the fire giving the scene a rather ghastly quality, as if it were happening in a dream.
Finally, the large man struck, and Ikaru just barely brought his sword up in time to block. The blow was crushing, and Ikaru was forced to his knees before he could slide out from under the large sword and dance away. He was rusty from weeks without practice, and having been ill-fed, bound, and tossed around in those weeks had not help his situation either. The Leader began taunting him. âYou can back out at any time, boy. Just go sit and mind your place.â However, Ikaru gritted his teeth and continued, attacking a slight opening only to be quickly repulsed.
Every one of the Leaders strokes felt like the blow of a hammer, and Ikaru began to feel jarred, but at the same time, he was finally loosening up. He launched another attack, just barely dodging the manâs sword as he charged. Their blades met with a slight trail of sparks before Ikaru jumped back once more. He would have to make use of his agility to have any chance in this fight.
Ikaru feinted to the right, seeing the large man respond just as he predicted, before he rolled to the left, coming up behind the man in a kneeling position as he struck upward. His blade glanced off the Leaderâs last moment attempt to parry, slicing into a muscled shoulder.
Not allowing himself time to celebrate this little victory, Ikaru again sprang away and turned to face his opponent. The Leader had already begun a charge, raining down blows until Ikaru stumbled back into one of the men surrounding them. Immediately, he was pushed back into the fight, circling the broad-shouldered man to the right. He attacked what he thought was an opening once more, only to find himself stumbling back again with a fresh, shallow cut across his cheek.
Ikaru knew time was not on his side. Each moment, the Leaderâs blows began raining down harder, weakening his defense. Ikaru swung at the manâs feet, intending to trip him up in order to land another blow, when the man unexpectedly blocked and jerked upward, causing Ikaru to lose his grip. The sword went flying through the air until it hit a tree and flopped into the darkness. The Leader placed the tip of his blade at Ikaruâs throat, glaring at him for a moment as Ikaru glared back fearlessly.
âYouâve got spirit, Iâll give you that,â the large man said with a sigh. Suddenly, he sheathed his weapon. âGive the woman some spare clothes, and give this one a cloak. No use having him whining.â He turned and walked off, leaving the firelight as the rest of the men watched.
Before Ikaru could respond, a cloak was shoved his way. As soon as he put it on, though, he was again tied to the wagon wheel. After a moment, Akari returned in an outfit much more fitting for the cold, though not as fitting for a woman of her rank. Ikaru said nothing, waiting to see if she would comment on what had happened.
Akari
Akari settled down at her usual place by the wagon, the nightâs air already growing chilly. Akari sort of curled up in a seated position to keep her body heat. âStupid mother, forcing me to wear a dress. Baka, not even caring about me being gone. Heartless old hag.â She thought dully to herself, gazing into the darkness of the forest. Somehow, even Hikari couldnât lighten her mood, and she rested her chin on her knees with a small sigh, looking at her breath in the evening air.
She began shivering a bit, looking over to the fire with an overall miserable facial expression. Whenever she was sure no one was looking, sheâd lower her defenses. However, this time Hayato suddenly looked over, and Akari quickly turned away, replacing her fallen mask.
However, she was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts by Ikaru suddenly standing up, shooting his mouth off at the boss. Wait⊠what? His words finally hit her, he was actually trying to defend her for once. âBaka, youâre going to get yourself killed.â She thought warily as the boss trudged up to him and verbal abuses started flying between them.
And then the swords were pulled. She shifted backwards quickly in surprise, her eyes wide and a small flash of fear dancing through them for a moment. If she werenât so cold and in the position she was in, she would actually enjoy watching the spar, but as it was, she couldnât. So she watched with amazement as Ikaru managed to land a blow on the Leaderâs arm. However, the match was soon over as the boss flung his sword out of the boyâs grip, sending it flying into the forest. However, he had conceded towards the warm clothing dilemma, and Akari brightened up with the slight glimmer of hope.
Soon some clothes were tossed at her, and she glanced over towards the wagon, getting up and walking over to it slowly before stopping right before it. âWell, what are you waiting for, a formal invitation?!â One of the men called out to her, and she only turned towards him, dropping the clothing on the floor of the back of the wagon, lifting up her hands with a look of blatant, âYouâre kidding right?â. âSorry, my hands are a little tied up.â She joked lightly with a flat tone. The man from before stepped towards her with a small grin on his face before Hayato got up and beat him to her.
He only loosened them after shooting a glance at his boss, and she took them off herself. She mumbled a soft thank you before disappearing inside of the wagon, slipping out of the bonds with practiced ease. She quickly changed into the larger clothing, putting it over her dress. She had also gained a coat with rabbit fur around the hood, as well as tanned leather gloves with rabbit fur on the inside, immensely enjoying the warmth now surroundings her hands.
Once she exited the wagon, Hayato rebound her, and she returned to the wagon with a somewhat cheery look to her facials, although she wore no real smile; just the slightest of subtle perks at the corner of her mouth.
She was retied to the wagon, which was the normal routine, before being served food, which she held in her gloved hands for awhile before actually beginning to eat it. Once she had finished she glanced over at him. âBureiba baka. Shinkashi arigato gozaimasu.â Brave Fool. But thank you. She spoke lightly at him, a ghost of a smile on her lips before it disappeared.
Ikaru
The food was finally served, and the men were soon boisterous again. Ikaru noticed that the Leader had returned sometime during the middle of the meal, but paid him no more attention than that. However, he could feel the manâs gaze on him throughout the rest of the night. He soon finished his meal, and was almost startled at Akariâs words. He had thought she would not comment, but her tone did sound happier, or at least not as chilled.
He turned to look at her, catching a faint smile on her face, barely illuminated by the fire light, before he turned away again. He answered her comment with a smirk of his own. He awkwardly shifted in order to wipe a bit of blood from his cheek and adjust his glasses once more.
The next morning, they were again thrown into the back of the wagon, but Ikaru soon began to notice there was something off. It was as if the whole forest had stilled, only a solitary chirp following them. Even that chirp seemed to be quickly swallowed up in the dead quiet surrounding them. Ikaru waited tensely all day, straining to hear any noise, or to make out any hint of what was causing this dark feeling, but he sensed nothing. Even the bandits were uncharacteristically silent as they rumbled through the trees.
âIt feels like something is coming,â Ikaru said to Akari, sounding half-dazed.
Suddenly, Ikaru heard the Leader call a halt. Instead of someone coming to drag them out of the wagon, however, there was only a strained silence. Ikaru wondered if, perhaps, he was not just imagining things. He began to feel a deep, steady rumbling through the floor of the wagon, like far away footsteps. Finally, a loud crashing met his ears.
âItâs a Treelegs!â one of the men shouted, panic plain in his voice. Suddenly, the wagon broke into motion down the road at the fastest pace it had gone in over a week. Ikaru desperately wished it would go faster as the giant footsteps seemed to gain on them.
Ikaru began to hear some of the men scream in terror, and one scream was suddenly cut off. Abruptly, the wagon seemed to rear up toward the back before crashing to its side, flinging Ikaru hard on his back. A moment later, Akari landed directly on top of him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. A couple boxes pinned him from the side, but luckily, none had fallen on top of them. However, this positioning was still annoyingly familiar.
Ikaru could hear the noises of battle coming from outside, along with those terrifying, earthshaking steps. Fortunately, they seemed to be out of the way for now. After several minutes laying there listening intently, he jumped when he heard boxes being pushed out of the way. A familiar face soon appeared, much to Ikaruâs relief. It was Hayato, and he seemed worried about more than the giant monster roaming about.
'What is he-' Ikaru thought confusedly before the young man jerked Akari up and led her out of the wreckage, quickly coming back for Ikaru. When Ikaru emerged out into the fading light of dusk, he caught a glimpse of a creature as tall as the trees, stomping around on two giant trunk-like appendages. Large, branch like antlers protruded from its head over glowing green eyes.
He was jolted out of his reverie by Hayato shouting, âRun!â and he realized his bonds had been cut. He grabbed Akariâs wrist and pulled her after him into the forest until he was sure she was following. They ran as fast as they could until the sounds of battle began to fade behind them.
Unexpectedly, a steep ravine appeared before them. He could now hear the rumbling of a river far below at the bottom of the sheer incline. There was no way they could cross anywhere close. He soon heard a loud boom, like a tall tree hitting the ground after being chopped down.
âWe donât have much time, this way,â he said hurriedly, again leading Akari by the wrist until he was sure she was following. If she said anything, he was too distracted to notice. They had not been able to get far through the thick undergrowth that snagged pulled on their clothes before Ikaru began to hear the menâs voices in the distance, growing closer by the minute.
He stopped in his tracks before looking around and quickly spotting a suitable tree. âUp, into the pine!â he said, as quietly as he was able, giving her a small push in his hurry as they scrambled off the tree. Finally, they stopped at one of the higher branches, covered in sticky sap, but hopefully concealed.
Akari
The next day, everything was deathly silent, and Akari could immediately tell something was wrong. Hikari chirped once to notify her he was still there, but after that, there were no noises other than the turning of the wagonâs wheels along the dirt road. âIt feels like something is coming.â Akari turned her head towards him and simply nodded before returning her attention to the silence around them.
Abruptly the wagon lurched to a stop after the Leaderâs voice shattered the silence, soon a scream bellowed forth from one of the men, âItâs a Treelegs!â and the wagon then pulled immediately forward at the fastest pace they had experienced in weeks.
âWh-â Akari started before her mouth closed on its own by the pace and swerving of the wagon. Soon the entire thing flipped, causing them to slide out, Akari falling right on top of him again and boxes scattering about their forms. âSorry.â She breathed out, even though she couldnât have done anything to prevent it and thus it wasnât her fault at all.
The sound of boxes moving hit Akariâs ears, and Hayatoâs face appeared, causing a small smile to flicker across her lips as he offered her his hand, which she quickly grabbed and lifted herself up with, and led her away. He then left and returned moments later with Ikaru. She gazed up at Hayato for a moment before he confirmed her hopes, cutting the ropes binding their hands. âRun!â He whispered urgently the two, and Akari took three seconds to lean upwards, grab his arm, and whisper something in his ear before being led away by Ikaru and bolting after taking a look at the monster ravaging the wagon behind them.
âIt must be territorial.â She thought suddenly, and with a strange calmness about her as they ran along. Soon the din began to fade, and a ravine came out of nowhere, and the sound of a large tree crashing to the ground splintered through the forest. âPoor creature.â âWe donât have much time, this way,â She quickly dashed after him after he grabbed her wrist again, looking around her for a way out.
He suddenly came to a stop, âUp, into the pine!â she ran after him, getting an easy footing with her boots and launching herself up after nearly losing her balance after he had pushed her. After reaching a tall branch and stopping, Akari pressed herself against the trunk of the tree as she heard voices below them.
âWhere did the little brats go?â One called to the other as the paused under the tree Akari and Ikaru were in, leaning against the bark. âIdunno, but if we donât find them soon, weâre in for it with the boss.â One of them looked up into the leaves, and Akari grabbed Ikaru, pulling him close to the trunk as well, and consequently, closer to herself, her eyes wide while staring down at them, not even paying any attention to Ikaru.
After several moments of agonizing silence, finally one of them spoke out, âHmph, well theyâre not here, and every second we waste, the further they get away from us.â Akari let out a deep sigh which she had been holding as they departed.
Ikaru
Ikaru crouched on the branch, holding on to an adjacent one to keep his balance. He listened intently to the voices that continually came closer. The men stopped right under the tree Akari and Ikaru had perched in, and Ikaru held his breath as the men debated where they went.
Abruptly, Akari pulled him closer to the trunk, startling him and almost making him lose his balance. He began losing his grip but did not dare to move. One of the men was looking up into the tree, almost directly at them, and any movement would easily catch his eye. Moments passed, and Ikaru was almost sure that he would slip off the branch before they decided to move away. Finally, they began to walk off, and Ikaru quickly shifted out of the awkward position, not realizing how close he was to Akari. He was too focused on the retreating figures of the men who had come so close to finding them.
They soon disappeared from sight, and, after a few moments, Ikaru could no longer hear them. He peered into the quickly darkening forest for a few more moments to be sure they would not return. Eventually, he gave a sigh, and said, âAlright, I think they are gone for now.â He listened to a small, animalistic rustling nearby before continuing, âPerhaps we should stay here until morning? No telling what else is out there.â
Adjusting his glasses, he turned to glance at Akari, quickly realizing how close they were sitting. He tried to shift away, but lost his balance. He began falling backwards with a small yelp. He grunted as a slightly lower branch caught him. His legs were still resting on the branch Akari was perched on, making his position rather⊠uncomfortable. As was obvious, he had not had much experience climbing trees.
He gave an embarrassed chuckle, reddening slightly as he awkwardly pulled himself onto the narrow, lower branch, slowly scooting toward the trunk and grasping the rough wood tightly. âThat wasnât so bad,â he said, trying to sound confident.
Akari
Akariâs eyes bored into the menâs backs as they began to depart, staying in her crouched position against the trunk of the tree. Akari was fairly skilled when it came to tree climbing, as she did, or used to do it, every day, but even so, she was extra careful as falling off now would suck pretty badly. Once they departed from their line of sight, and a few seconds more, Ikaru spoke quietly, â âAlright, I think they are gone for now.â Akari nodded, her eyes scanning along the ground where the men had been previously.
âPerhaps we should stay here until morning? No telling what else is out there.â With a shrug, she finally turned to look at him, suddenly leaning back in one swift motion as her form straightened out, surprise clearly written on her face. He had turned to her as well, and it seemed they both realized how close they were to each other, and both tried their best to get away. However, it didnât work very well, as Akariâs head thumped into the bark of the tree, and Ikaru pretty much fell off of their branch.
She grunted slightly, wincing and holding her head before suddenly forgetting about the pain and moving forward to peer over the branch with worry. However, he was perfectly fine as a lower branch had caught him. She let out a loud laugh, quickly covering her mouth with her wrist. âVery smooth~â She smiled brightly at him before wincing once again and rubbing the back of her head.
Ikaru seemed to be fine, but she asked anyway, âYou alright?â Her unease was quickly settled as he let out a shaky chuckle before pulling himself back up into a sitting position. âThat wasnât so bad,â Akari watched him for a few seconds before quickly turning away with a lopsided grin, looking out into the forest. âAre you sure itâs a good idea to sleep in this tree? You might just fall again to your doom.â She teased lightly, backing up against the trunk once more, making sure her feet were steadily pressed against the wood of the tree limb for more support.
Ikaru
"Ha ha, very funny," Ikaru said, still adjusting himself so he would be less likely to fall off. There was a branch to his left, across from the branch Akari sat on, that was low enough for him to lean on to keep himself from slipping off again. Though he tried to relax, every few seconds he would feel like he was falling and tense up again. It was somewhat ridiculous; he did not have a fear of heights, and had been up much higher before this. However, he could not keep himself from tensing up. 'It's going to be a long night,' he thought irritably. Instead of trying to settle in to sleep, he turned his attention out to the surrounding forest.
Perhaps, if he could not sleep, he might be able to keep watch. Though that was probably unnecessary, it was better than doing nothing other than losing his balance. Soon after, Ikaru could again hear menâs voices in the distance, but they soon faded away without returning. The night grew nearly pitch black, the moon just a small crescent. Though it was cold without a fire, Ikaru was glad they had better clothing than before.
Suddenly, Ikaru felt the sensation of falling again and jerked awake, clinging to the branch. He did not remember falling asleep, but at least he had stayed on the branch all night. He looked around at the now bright forest, trying to get his bearings.
Akari
Akariâs eyelids fluttered open, and she pressed back against the trunk of the tree in surprise, having a sudden moment of amnesia as to where she was. But the information was quickly resupplied to her mind, and she let out a content sigh. They were away from her home, and away from the bandits. âFreedom at last.â She thought leniently, however she soon dropped it, wondering how well theyâd actually make it. And if they didnât find a civilization soon, theyâd be screwed for the winter.
Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a loud chirp, her feathery friend alighting down on her branch. Her whole face brightened, she had been worried about him the previous night, but knew she couldnât do anything about it. Akari fingered Hikariâs head feathers as he alighted onto her index finger, which she then moved up and down, causing the little bird to balance a bit.
She suddenly looked down, remembering Ikaru and wondering if he had fallen off during the night. She found him looking down, clutching the branch beside him. She grinned brightly, âNice.â She commended his ability to stay in a tree for a night. âWell, I suppose we should get going. We need to find a town.â She looked around a bit before her eyes fixed on the little bird perched on her finger, a smooth grin playing on her lips.
She whispered something to the little bird, and made her index finger move upward in a swift motion, the bird taking flight while Akari made her way down the tree, soon following Hikari.
Ikaru
Ikaru finally figured out where he was and why, his eyes slowly adjusting to the light. Suddenly, he heard a loud chirp. Akariâs voice soon followed, seeming heavy with sarcasm to Ikaruâs ears. âI have better things to do than to practice climbing trees,â he mumbled, face reddening in response to the insult. He looked up at her, pushing his glasses up his nose with a finger. He was surprised tosee a small bird again on her shoulder. Was this girl some sort of animal magnet?
He merely nodded slightly to her next statement, looking around and attempting to stretch out his sore muscles. Suddenly, the bird fluttered off directly over his head, causing him to almost fall out of the tree once again. Irritation colored his words as he yelled after Akariâs retreating form, âHey! Canât you keep your little pet under control?â He soon realized she was not listening, and proceeded to climb out of the tree as quickly as his stiff muscles would allow.
Soon, he was safely on the ground once more, covered in sap and terribly sore, but otherwise in good shape. He took a moment to stretch before trying to figure out which direction they should go. He realized that Akari had already randomly started walking away, and he called after her, âWhere are you going?â He hurried to catch up, waiting for an explanation.
Akari
Akariâs eyes narrowed as Ikaru yelled after her, âHey! Canât you keep your little pet under control?â She just tilted her chin up a bit more, quickening her pace as he began to descend. If she was lucky she might just be able to lose him. But no such luck as he followed after her. She rolled her eyes, âHikari is not a pet.â
âWhere are you going?â A soft little smirk played on her lips. âFollowing the bird.â She said nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing to do in the world. Despite Ikaruâs complaints, she remained unfazed and continued her course. âHey, if you donât like it, you can take another way.â She grinned brightly at him, her eyes flashing with mischief as she turned around to look at him.
After walking for what seemed to be an eternity, the two finally saw a bit of smoke, which had to mean civilization in the cold temperatures surrounding them, and they then discovered a little town. She turned to look at Ikaru with a very defined triumphant smirk, quickly heading to where the largest amount of smoke was billowing from. The two soon entered the inn, to which Akari took a moment to look around. A stout woman stood at the back of the front room, walls lined the entrance door to sort of minimize the view when you first stepped in, but once advancing, they could see medium sized wooden tables dotted around the room, obviously meant for the meals and ale to be served at throughout the days. Following the line of tables, Akari's eyes settled on a stone fireplace set against the wall. Wooden stairs led up to where she assumed where the rooms would be located, and there were a few doorways at the sides of the buildings as well as one behind the lady at the desk. One of them, she assumed, led to the kitchen and storage and such. Wood was the main furnishing in the building, asides from the stone fireplace, of course.
Ikaru
Akariâs response was absolutely ridiculous. How did she expect some animal to lead them anywhere? "What?" Ikaru said in a disbelieving tone, "You expect your little pet to lead us around? What will it show us, its favorite tree?" Her response was hard to argue with, and Ikaru pushed his glasses up his nose before trudging along beside her with an exasperated look on his face.
The forest seemed to stay the same around them, and they passed pine tree after pine tree. It began to feel as if only the sun had made any progress that day. He began to despair of ever even finding the road again when this whole âfollow the stupid animalâ bit did not work. They were already so far away from where they had started, but Ikaru never really considered leaving Akari. He would not leave her alone to get lost out here.
Eventually, Ikaru began to notice smoke in the distance. He gritted his teeth to keep his irritation from growing. He would not admit that a bird had led them to civilization, that was ludicrous. Ikaru ignored Akariâs smirk, striding past her as they neared the small village. Ikaru strode purposefully toward the biggest structure, which he assumed was an inn of some sort, ignoring the stares of the simple village people. âThey have probably never had such high-ranking nobles in this desolate place,â Ikaru thought with a mocking smirk.
The inn was not the worst he had ever seen, but it would be the worst he had ever had to stay in for the night. He confidently strode up to the grubby, old innkeeper woman, and began speaking haughtily. âGive us a couple rooms and the best food you can manage here. We will need some form of transport in the morning as well. Can you handle that?â
âMoney first, demands second,â she said gruffly, obviously angry at Ikaruâs rudeness. She looked them over and seemed rather unimpressed by their scruffy attire.
Ikaru reflexively straightened as she looked at him, feeling irritated that she would dare to show them such a lack of respect. âDo you not know who you are speaking to? I am Mitsuyo Ikaru, and this is Mineko Akari. You should treat us with respect, especially after what we have been put through,â he said incredulously, speaking slowly as if to a child. He could not believe that she would act this way toward nobles such as themselves.
She responded immediately. âAll I see is a nitwit boy who thinks he can disrespect his elders whenever he pleases. You donât deserve respect, stranger, and youâre not doing much to earn it either. Why should I kowtow to you anyway?â She crossed her arms over her large form, eying him again with a scowl.
Ikaru heard one of the men behind them comment, âThis should be interesting.â Ikaru turned to scowl at him, and he stared back with curiosity, raising his glass in a sort of salute before he chugged it down. The innkeeper scowled at him as well, and he almost cowered. It would have been funny if Ikaru were not so irritated.
He spoke even slower, not understanding how the woman could be so oblivious. âWe are nobles of Rillia. How do you not know us? My family is very well respected in every reputable town in the country!â
The woman glared at him, speaking in a low voice taut with anger, âIf you donât have any money, then get out. You might as well leave this village too. Weâve no need for lying thieves who waltz in and think they can trick us. Stop gaping like a dimwit and leave, loud-mouth brat!â
Akari
Akari suddenly looked up as Ikaru strode forward to the little lady at the desk, and desperately tried to grab him before heâd do anything stupid, but she was too late. She looked after him with a disconsolate look, quickly trailing after him. Her mouth almost fell open at what he said next.
âGive us a couple rooms and the best food you can manage here. We will need some form of transport in the morning as well. Can you handle that?â She just looked at him with an incredulous flash to her eyes. âHow much of a baka can you become!?!?â
âMoney first, demands second,â Akari rolled her eyes at Ikaru, crossing her arms and flashing him a very irritated, disgruntled look at how he ruined everything in one simple sentence. However, he missed it as he straightened and spoke harshly to the lady, âDo you not know who you are speaking to? I am Mitsuyo Ikaru, and this is Mineko Akari. You should treat us with respect, especially after what we have been put through.â To make matters worse, he dragged her into the problem, and said it so slowly as if she had no brain whatsoever.
The woman retorted to him, making a good point. Someone seated at one of the tables spoke out, âThis should be interesting.â Akari turned to him and grinned, stifling a small laugh at his nonchalant response to Ikaruâs glare. She returned her glance back to the innkeeper, and Ikaru put the final piece to his little rant. âWe are nobles of Rillia. How do you not know us? My family is very well respected in every reputable town in the country!â Akari groaned softly, âYou. Are so brainless.â The woman suddenly snapped at him with a strained voice, calling the two of them thieves.
Akari had had enough; before Ikaru could make the worst mistake possible, she smacked him over the side of the head with an audible growl. âIâm sorry for my idiot friend here, mam. He has absolutely no concept of manners.â She shot a glare at him, daring for him to condescend her as well. She bowed her head politely to the lady, to which she âharrumphedâ at. âI was wondering if it were to be possible for me to work as one of your table maids, so as to pay for our stay.â
The woman glanced her up and down with a wary, scrutinizing look, before letting out a cough, âAlright, fair enough. At least one of the lot oâ you has some idea of whatâs going on around here. How did you know we were short of workers, girl? Ah, no matter. But there is something else you two are going to have to do first, and thatâs go talk to the mayor of our town, he needs some help with something, and if you two can complete the task, Iâll allow you to stay here, so long as one of you does the work around here.â With another bow of her head, Akari smirked at Ikaru lazily, turning around promptly and shooting a bright grin to the man at the table, to which he let out a drunken laugh and lifted his empty glass to her.
She exited, looking around for a moment to locate where the town mayor would be located, and quickly set off.
Ikaru
Suddenly, Ikaru felt a solid impact on the side of his head. Akari had just smacked him! He fell silent quickly, caught off guard from her sudden motion. She apologized for him, and he reddened, but still thought he was right. Why would she smack him? Her glare kept him from saying anything as he pondered what he had done to deserve it. Akari was probably siding with this peasant woman instead of him. Women were strange like that. Perhaps he was coming on a bit strongly to the woman, though, which would not have been a problem if she had known who he was.
Akari then offered to help serve, and Ikaru only reddened more. A woman of her station working in a place like this? Staying here when they had no other choice was one thing, but working here was entirely a different matter. He took a deep breath, adjusting his glasses with a finger and calming himself down. He had not expected this from her. Why were women always so frustrating and hard to figure out?
To his surprise, the woman agreed, being more cooperative than she had been with him. He sighed again. Would all the people of this town expect him to treat them as equals? That would be interesting to get used to indeed. These commoners were quite interesting indeed. Perhaps it would be refreshing not to have people jumping to fulfill his commands for a while, or it may just leave him terribly frustrated. Only time would tell.
She sent them off to see the mayor, speaking of some job, and Ikaru wondered if the innkeeper woman did realize they were more than simple commoners. A talk with a mayor would be more in Ikaruâs comfort zone; he was not used to speaking with peasants. Akariâs smirk told him that she had bested him and knew it. He only gave her a glance in return as they walked out, hearing the belching laughter of the man at the table once more.
Once they were outside, however, he patted her on the head with a sarcastic, âWell, arenât you just brilliant at communicating with these âcountry bumpkins.â Perhaps it is from your mutual frolicking in the muck for fun. Might have to keep you around.â He smirked at her and increased his stride to avoid any blow or snarky reply.
It was not difficult to find the mayorâs house. It was the only one with a proper roof and well painted exterior. Ikaru knocked at the door, and a short moment passed before a scruffy young servant girl opened it. She looked barely twelve, and stared at them wide-eyed for a moment before blurting out a hurried, âYes, may I âelp you?â She had a rather broad country accent.
âWe request to see the mayor. The innkeeper sent us,â Ikaru replied, waiting expectantly for her to scurry off. She stood watching them a moment longer before bobbing a slight curtsy and scrambling away. She returned a moment later with a breathless, âThis way, take off your shoes, please.â
Ikaru removed his shoes at the entrance, almost embarrassed at how ragged they had come, before following the young girl into a large room, well decorated when compared to the rest of the town. There were several varied pelts displayed on the wall, as well as a peculiar skull accompanying the few books on a small bookshelf. A short man with graying hair stood facing them on a slightly raised platform at the front of the room.
Akari
As soon as they were outside, Akari felt Ikaruâs hands on her head, a wary look suddenly flashing across her face to swerve around and kick him in the gut or something, when she realized he was simply patting her. And undermining her thus, as well. âWell, arenât you just brilliant at communicating with these âcountry bumpkins.â Perhaps it is from your mutual frolicking in the muck for fun. Might have to keep you around.â An angry glare flashed onto her face like lightning, and she almost did kick him, but he had already moved away from her, wisely as well. However, she simply smirked up at him as Hikari flew from her shoulder up high into the air before dive-bombing the boy, and sending a good, vicious peck to his neck before disappearing. âWell, arenât you just a piece of work.â She spat after him, crossing her arms and making sure her eyes didnât catch any glimpse of him again.
As they knocked on the door of the mayorâs house, a young serving girl appeared to them, Akari simply smiled brightly down at her as Ikaru explained the situation. She seemed to know what he meant by the âinnkeeper sent usâ, and she quickly disappeared before reappearing moments later, â This way, take off your shoes, please.â Akariâs eyes widened as she let out a soft laugh. She hadnât taken off her shoes to feel the ground in so long, so she more than willingly shed them as they entered. After walking for a short while, they appeared in a well furnished room, with a graying man sitting at a desk.
âAh, you must be the ones Ulna sent. Yes, yes. Right down to business then. A Lenmer has been terrorizing the outskirts of our village for days now. Weâve tried sending some of our men out to dispatch it, but no such luck,â He opened a book to his left, flipping to the page to show a picture of the beast. âSo, I have a task for you. Kill the Nargacuga, and youâll have free reign of our town, and acceptance as well. You are not expected to go out today, as you are most certainly tired from your journey here. Tell Ulna I have given you permission to stay for one night before you have to provide for yourselves, travelers.â He nodded to them, quickly shooing them away. "Tomorrow, you are to meet in the local library, Sal should be able to help you with the information."
Ikaru
Ikaruâs eyes widened as the man made his request. He did not even ask if either of them had any experience with this sort of thing, and Ikaru did not have a sword with him. He wondered if this was something these odd people did with all their visitors. At least they would be getting more information the next day, but it was still a stretch. Who knew what kind of creature this Lunmer would be?
At the very least, the mayor was allowing them to stay the night there, but Ikaru wondered if it would not be better for them to just leave in the morning. The only problem would be that they were without any sort of supplies. His stomach growled quietly as if reminding him of that fact. They also had no idea where to go, unless Akari got her little pet to do another trick.
The mayor soon shooed them out, telling them someone called Sal would give them more information the next morning. They would just have to find the library. Ikaru was impressed that this little town even had a library. He did not realize these country folk had an interest in reading. This mayor did not seem especially wealthy, or scholarly for that matter. Perhaps there was some sort of noble living nearby, or even just someone well off? However, if that were true, he would take care of the Nargacuga himself, would he not?
They soon exited the house, pulling their shoes on again as the young servant girl half pushed them out the door. There was something rather strange about this placeâŠ. Well, there was nothing to do about it now.
Akari
Akari blinked with an uneasy look on her face as the mayor explained the task he set before them. She definitely wasnât comfortable killing anything, especially if itâs a task the mayorâs offering to everyone. That just screams trouble. With a little sigh, Akari simply accepted it, they had nowhere to go anyway, and no money to get there. She suddenly looked up as she heard the soft rumbling of Ikaruâs stomach, and an irritated expression filled her face.
âSeriously?â She tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair for a second. After the brief introduction, the mayor shooed them off, which wasnât surprising, being a mayor is certainly expected to be a busy job. So theyâd be looking for Sal, which honestly, Akari had no idea what gender the person was. With a stretch, Akari sprang up from her chair, not wanting to cause anymore delay for the mayor, and walked out, the serving girl quickly shooing them out.
As they walked along a street, Akari put a finger to her chin, looking up at the darkened sky, a thoughtful look to her face. âLunmer, huh? Why does that name sound familiarâŠ.â She completely ignored Ikaru as she walked, suddenly finding herself wandering towards the aroma emanating from the local inn, Hikari suddenly alighting on her shoulder. As she entered through the doors, she stopped at the front desk once more, âThe mayor says weâll have one night on him, then we have to go hunt down that thing, or whatever.â Ulna simply nodded while wiping at her desk with a cloth. Hikari chirped on her shoulder and the woman looked up at it somewhat severely. âSorry, we donât allow pets here.â
Akariâs eyebrow twitched, and she looked at the woman calmly. âHikari is not a pet. He is simply a wild animal, who somehow likes me. I have no control over him.â Her voice did not waver or hint at much anger, though by looking in her face, one could see the strained patience there. The lady simply âhmphedâ before returning to her cleaning. She looked at Ikaru with a sidelong glance, squinting one eye just a bit at him. She then leaned forward and quietly whispered to the lady.
âSorry, the deal is you get one night to sleep here for no return, dinnerâs not included in that bargain.â She responded curtly, before the man from before, who seemed to be settled next to the fireplace laughing with some other men, suddenly called out, âAw, come on Ulna! They look like half frozen rats off the street, have a little pity for once!â The tavern lady simply crossed her arms, a resolute look to her face. Akari, leaned forward just a bit, âAlright, howâs about we play a game instead? If I win, we get dinner, if you win, weâll go straight to bed with no dinner, like a disciplined little child. How does that sound, hm? Iâll be working for you tomorrow anyway, so itâs not like youâre losing anything.â She tapped her cheek with a grin, a smirk hiding underneath it. Ulna looked her up and down, crossing her arms before agreeing, although reluctantly. âAll we need is a piece of parchment, and something to write with.â
After the items were provided, Akari looked at the lady with an innocent smile. âNow pick an object, something small, and a bit more common. Also, don't say what color it is.â
Ikaru
Ikaru started for the inn, eager to eat something. Hunger had been gnawing at his belly far too long. It was not that he could not handle being hungry, but it had been almost two days since they had eaten, and the prospect of a meal was not something he would pass up right now.
Akari moved her hand to her chin, and the movement caught Ikaruâs attention. He noticed the thoughtful look on her face before looking away again. Perhaps she was going over what little information they had just been given by the mayor. âWhat a peculiar man, and a peculiar town,â Ikaru thought, adjusting his glasses as he glanced around. In any case, that matter could wait until after dinner. They finally entered the inn, and Ikaru noticed Akariâs little pet sitting on her shoulder. He unconsciously found himself reaching for the sore spot where the bird had pecked him. âWhat a little pest,â Ikaru thought as they approached the woman who ran the inn.
Before he could speak, Akari told the woman, âThe mayor says weâll have one night on him, then we have to go hunt down that thing, or whatever.â Suddenly, the innkeeper noticed Akariâs pet, and told her it was not allowed. Akari insisted it was not a pet, and Ikaru rolled his eyes. She always had some argument for everything. The lady gave up the argument without responding, and Ikaru raised an eyebrow at her, though she was completely ignoring him. She was probably still sore about their earlier conversation. It was her fault for refusing to help them after all. He looked around, wondering what the smell from the kitchen was. Dinner would be done soon, if it was not already, and it smelled wonderful.
Ikaru noticed Akariâs look, and he looked at her quizzically, trying to figure out what was going through the girlâs mind. She leaned forward, whispering something to the inkeepeer that Ikaru could not hear. The lady loudly gave a response that, of course, irritated him. âSorry, the deal is you get one night to sleep here for no return, dinnerâs not included in that bargain.â Why were women always so stubborn and unreasonable?
His stomach loudly growled again, as if in protest of the womanâs statement, and the man from before told the woman to have some compassion. Ikaru scowled at his comment about them looking like rats though. Akari then proposed that they play a game to get dinner, and Ikaru raised his eyebrows at her. What kind of game was this? Hopefully it was easy for her to win, or his stomach might not be able to take itâŠ
The woman agreed to play Akariâs game, and Ikaru watched with an eager curiosity as the items were set on the table. âWhat is Akari up to?â he thought, watching her face from the corner of his eye. The innkeeper seemed perplexed as well.
âWell, you got your stuff, what's this game of yours?â[b] she said in a no-nonsense tone. Akari responded, [b]âNow pick an object, something small, and a bit more common. Also, don't say what color it is.â The lady huffed at Akari and paused in her cleaning with a thoughtful look on her face. It was only seconds before she decided, giving a small laugh, âHa, what about a coin? Now, what is the point? How do I win and how do you win?â
Akari
Akari grinned brightly, watching the ladyâs face carefully as she responded with a coin. âAlright, great! So, the rules are, if my little friend here,â She looked over at Hikari sitting on her shoulder before she continued, âcan find your coin, then I win. If he canât, then you win. Simple.â She picked up the pen, and began to brush lines onto the paper, forming the coin on the paper while imagining it in her mind. It had a 3D effect, but it was a coin from back where Akari had come from. In the corner of the paper she wrote a simple little G, setting down the pen and letting Hikari tilt his head back and forth before chirping and flittering away. The old lady crossed her arms once more, smirking ever so slightly with her otherwise plastered frown, thinking that she had this in the bag, considering the coin looked nothing like what she had seen from around here.
Akari immediately crumpled up the paper, putting it into her pocket. âAnd now we wait.â She walked over to one of the nearby benches, crossing one leg over the other and lounging back on the wood. By this time, the event had caused some commotion from around the inn, and murmurs could be heard, such as, âThereâs no way the bird can do it,â and, âWho does this girl think she is, is she crazy?â and then the man from before saying, âHave a little faith, at least she looks like she knows what sheâs doing.â
After a few minutes, a chirp could be heard, and Akari immediately rose from her seat, returning to the desk. She watched as Hikari flew in, and opened her palm, pointing her index finger up for Hikari to have a perch. The bird dropped the coin before alighting onto her finger, and the girl picked up the coin with her other hand, flashing it before the woman. âWas your coinâs metal gold?â The woman looked rather shocked that the bird had actually done it. âYes.â She responded bluntly, and Akari grinned triumphantly, as cheers erupted behind her. âHaha, the bird actually did it! Howâd he do that?!â The woman made a grab for the coin, but Akari withdrew it sharply, looking at her with a vacant expression. âSorry, the game was to see if I could get your coin, you having it wasnât included in the bargain.â She said simply, recalling the ladyâs refusal to admit them dinner in the first place. It was a subtle way of undermining her and getting a bit of revenge, but Akari had a content look to her face.
She had pretty much known that the woman would have thought of a gold coin, seeing as she was the greedy type, and by watching her eyes and expressions. The woman relented, âIf I ainât keepinâ to my word, I ainât nothinâ around here.â She motioned for them to have a seat, and called for dinner to be served to them.
Akari smiled brightly, rubbing Hikari on the head with a small little coo, completely ignoring Ikaru once more. She settled back down on the benches, wondering if Hikari had found it, or grabbed it. But those thoughts were lost as steaming food arrived, and it definitely smelled delicious. With a sweet grin, she quickly tore off a little piece of bread, working at it between her fingers before setting it down on the table for her little bird to dig into. She then started on her own meal.
Ikaru
Ikaru groaned when he realized Akari was relying on her little pet again. Why did she think the thing was so smart? It was just a bird, not anything especially intelligent. He sighed, still trying to convince himself again that the bird leading them to this strange little town was just blind luck, nothing more. He took a seat next to Akari as they waited, hungrily eyeing a plate of food that one of them men had. âThat bird had better be lucky again,â he thought with a frown. If it did not, at least he could laugh at Akariâs foolishness, though that would be a small consolation for an empty stomach.
Ikaru heard the mumbles of disbelief from the other patrons, but he mostly ignored them, wondering whether the bird could do it or not. He did not have much faith in the creature, but he also did not like the idea of going hungry, even if it meant he was wrong.
Finally, he heard the bird return. He stood, faster and more eagerly than he would have liked. He caught himself and leisurely strolled over to where the bird was perched on Akariâs finger. He peered down at what he had brought. A coin! He quickly began adjusting his glasses to conceal his shock. So it had done it. âLucky bird,â he said, mumbling under his breath. He looked at the innkeeper expectantly, and the woman confirmed that it was even the color she had thought of. She grabbed for the coin, but Akari held it away and told the woman it was not hers in no uncertain terms. Ikaru barely kept himself from laughing aloud at the innocent look on Akariâs face.
The woman finally agreed to serve them dinner, and Ikaru was soon dinning into a plate of delicious food. After a moment, he spoke to Akari, âSeems your little pet got lucky again.â He lowered his voice, glancing at the innkeeper before continuing, âOr is there some trick to it?â He raised an eyebrow at her, adjusting his glasses again.
Akari
Akari simply rolled her eyes with a smirk shot at the boy, âHikari is not a pet. And itâs simply cooperation, work, and deduction.â She spoke after swallowing another mouthful of food while the bird pecked at the bread crumbs happily. It looked up at Akari, tilting its head with a chirp, and she glanced down at him, giving a gentle smile before relinquishing another morsel of food to the little creature. She returned to watch Ikaru, stifling a small laugh. She poked him in the side gently, a smirk dancing across her lips. âLooks like someone owes a thank-you for dinner, hm?â She stuck her tongue out just slightly past her lips, grinning at him with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
Suddenly, one of the men from earlier slid across their table on the other side, a look of slight greed in his eyes, but otherwise drunk and happy. âYour little bird friend, heâs certainly special. Now⊠how much would you be willing to agree upon for me to take him off your hands?â Akariâs eyes narrowed, her nostrils flaring ever so softly.
âSorry, heâs not mine to give. He goes where he pleases, and sticks around only when he so desires to. Not for sale.â She put simply, turning away from him. He suddenly lurched across the table, trying to make a grab for the bird, and Akari fell backwards with a gasp, her feet kicking the underside of the table as her legs were still trapped on the bench.
Ulna suddenly slammed her fist against her desk, yelling at the man. âThat is quite enough out of you Benj! Itâs time you went back on your way, youâve overstayed your welcome.â She spoke angrily, shooing the man outside while crossing her arms fiercely. âFat oaf, said heâd only be staying in town for a few days, itâs been a bit longer than that.â She mumbled crossly as she returned to her place.
Ikaru
Ikaru rolled his eyes as Akari insisted the little bird that clung to her was not a pet. Why would it not be considered a pet? Her refusal to accept that reality intrigued him. She was also vague about how the trick even worked. Ikaru merely dropped it for the moment, more interested in finishing the food on his plate. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she fed the little creature. If that did not indicate it was a pet, nothing did. She poked him and he scowled at her. He glared for a moment longer as she stuck her tongue out at him. Again, so mature. He opened his mouth to speak, but one of the drunken patrons of the tavern interrupted, sliding over and asking Akari about buying the bird. She again insisted that it did not belong to her, and she would not sell the animal.
The man suddenly lunged for the poor bird and Ikaru stood, an angry glare on his face. Though the man was wider than he was, Ikaru was quite a bit taller, and he did not look pleasant when angry. The innkeeper suddenly slapped a hand down on the table between Ikaru and the drunk man, telling the man to leave. Ikaru glared at him until he finally walked away, rejoining the loud group of men for a moment, before they began laughing at him. He soon stormed off into the night, and Ikaru turned his attention to Akari.
Her bird had fled up into the rafters, and was still squawking loudly. Akari, on the other hand, was half way on the floor. He gave a small chuckle, offering her a hand to help her get back up into the seat. "Are you alright?" he said, with the slightest sympathy in his amused tone.
Akari
Pain conquered her vision for a few moments, before reality returned once more. She winced, blinking a few times before looking up in a slight daze to see Hikari complaining up on the beams of the inn. Akari blinked once more, before suddenly looking over to see Ikaru smiling at her, his tone amused and mocking, he offered his hand to her, "Are you alright?" Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and she pushed his hand away, pulling her legs in closer to her body and off the bench as she got up on her own, swiftly turning away from Ikaru with utter silence completely submerging her.
She barely made a noise as she departed from the table and past the front desk, her head tilted down and her hair hiding her eyes. As she went one way, Hikari went the other, flicking out of the building and out into the night. âRoom 14.â Ulna responded as the girl passed her, her eyes quickly darting away from the girlâs form. Akari clutched the wooden railing, swiftly ascending the stairs and out of view.
She let out a hard sigh, tilting her head down and looking at the floor, her footsteps barely made a noise as she stepped down, walking to the room. As she entered, she lifted her head to look around. There was a large double bed at the center against the wall with a bedside table beside it with a small lantern flickering, a small dresser, a side room, a large rug in the center, a small parlor chair, and thick curtains against the windows. She closed the door behind her, eyeing the fresh linens at the end of the bed, and quickly picked hers up without a word. At least itâd be nice to get out of what she had been wearing for so long. She entered the side room, quietly undressing and slipping the linen undercloth over her head and shoulders.
She hardly cared if it was fitting or not, it wasnât like she would feel any different were she back home. She folded her clothing and set it in the first drawer, quietly walking over to the windowsill and slipping her boots off. Without a word, she slid the pane open, and climbed up onto the wood, settling her back against the frame and looking out with her elbow on her raised knee, while she allowed her other leg to slip off of the sill to hang and swish back and forth slowly and softly for a few moments before resting it back on ground. The moon shone brightly, and the stars twinkled with brilliance. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. âI wish I could just take wing and fly away⊠far away from it all.â She hummed softly to herself for a few moments before silencing herself, getting the feeling that sheâd only be disciplined and then mocked by Ikaru further should he hear it.
Akari let out a whisper of a breath pass her lips as she closed her eyes and breathed the night air through her nostrils. âWhy is it all so hard⊠so difficult. I feel ever so unwanted all the time, of course I have a guard up. I have to be sufficient on my own.â Her mind fell dull, her eyes lazily focused on the night sky while memories decided to play like an old record in her mind. After awhile, she suddenly rested a hand on her cheek, pulling her hand away gently to see the slightest bit of a shimmer as she tilted it in the moonlight, and felt dampness against her fingertips, âIdiotâŠ.â Akari thought at herself, shifting her gaze around and trying to pick out constellations.