Chapter 15 -- Ishi

AIO: Can I put "self-proclaimed author" on tax documents?

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The three walked alongside a dirt path.

Minor traces of smoke filled the air.

An atmospheric fire red sky - loomed into the afternoon.

They heard noise and laughter up ahead from what appeared to be a secluded area of town.

They approached a non-traditional bar...

Tomo: "I could use a drink."

Reach: ...

...

Tomo: Am I old enough to drink?

Tomo: Surely...

...

Tomo: This feels familiar...

...

Tomo opened the large sliding metal door.

The bar was filled with all kinds of people - happily day drinking.

The seats throughout made from all sorts of unorthodox materials.

The three wondered how these people were so carefree.

Thorn spoke to the bartender - a person with short yellow hair.

Thorn: "How come everyone is so happy?"

Thorn: "Do people not kill each other in this bar?"

Bartender: ?

Bartender: "Oh, you're not from here."

Thorn: ...

Bartender: "Well, not everyone knows it, but this part of town is surprisingly safe."

The bartender cleaned a long fork.

Bartender: "Gatriox and Vork don't like to come near here."

Reach: ?

Reach: "Who?"

Bartender: "The pseudo-leaders of this town I suppose. But no one really recognises them. They're just brutal."

Thorn's interest rose.

Reach: ...

Reach: "If they're the so-called leaders, why don't they come near here?"

Bartender: "Haha."

Reach: ?

...

Bartender: "It's because... 'He' lives nearby."

Splash.

Tomo: "Hahaha! Hey, Reach! Look at this guy!"

Tomo laughed out loud as he inadvertently spilled a drink on Reach.

Next to Tomo was a man who could change the size and shape of his eyeballs.

The man purposely pulled a series of funny faces to make Tomo laugh.

Tomo: "Ahaha!"

Tomo's slightly high-pitch laugh was a pleasant surprise.

But not a welcome one...

Reach: "Oi."

Tomo: "Eh?"

Tomo turned around to a menacing Reach.

Clunk.

Reach chopped him to the ground.

Thorn: "How did he get a drink so fast?"

The bartender threw a clean towel to Reach.

Reach used it to dry himself.

Bartender: "I'm going to have to ask you three to leave."

Tomo: "Ah."

- - - -

Thorn: "Didn't think we could get thrown out of a bar in a lawless town."

Tomo: ...

They strolled away from the bar.

Thorn: "Gatriox and Vork, huh."

Thorn: "They don't sound that strong to me."

Reach: "Mm."

...

Thorn: "Vork..."

Thorn: "Makes me think of that... Vrazen..."

Reach: ...

Thorn: "Which pisses me off."

Reach enjoyed Thorn's comments.

They walked around a corner and were greeted by a small group of friendly people.

The people were genuinely friendly, but lacking in clothing by design.

Reach: ...

A woman with long brown hair and blue eyelashes approached Tomo.

????: "My, my..."

????: "What beautiful arms you have."

She caressed his biceps.

Tomo: "Haha. Oh yeah?"

He appreciated the compliment.

Clunk.

Thorn chopped him to the ground.

Thorn: "Come on..."

Thorn dragged him along.

Reach: ...

Tomo eventually got up and dusted his head.

Tomo: "You two are so mean."

Reach gave Tomo a blank stare - as if to say 'you've been asking for it'.

Tomo: "Never mind..."

...

Tomo looked up to the sky.

Tomo: ...

Tomo: "Hey, Reach."

Reach: ?

Tomo: "Have you ever been in love?"

Thorn: ??

The change in topic took Thorn by surprise.

Reach: ...

Reach: "No, I can't say I have."

Tomo: ...

Tomo: "Fair enough."

Tomo: "I don't think I have been, either."

...

Tomo: "Would you ever want to be in a relationship?"

Reach: ...

Reach: "Hm.."

Reach: "It's not at the front of my mind, but... I’m open to it."

Tomo: "What? Really?"

Reach: ...

Tomo: "Have you ever thought someone was cute?"

Reach: ...

Reach: "Maybe."

Tomo: "W-Wow!!"

...

Thorn: This is stupid.

Reach redirected the conversation.

Reach: "Anyway."

Reach: "Those other headless bodies - the ones we saw on entry."

Thorn: ...

Reach: "Who do you think did that?"

Thorn tapped on her armour as she walked.

Thorn: "Who knows."

Thorn: "Maybe those 'leaders'."

Thorn yawned.

The three entered an alley.

Thorn: "Or who was it?"

Thorn: "Perhaps that pers-"

Thorn: ?!

Thorn stopped talking immediately.

She gripped her blades. Tight.

Reach felt something, too.

Reach: What is it?

The alley was quiet.

The lighting particularly... Dim.

Tomo: "Huh?"

Tomo: "What? Why are you guys so tense?"

At the other end of the alley was... Something.

Someone.

Thorn: ...

His body language was not threatening.

In fact, he seemed harmless.

So why were they so worked up?

...

Thorn loosened her grip.

Reach took a breath.

The man was not big and muscular.

He had black scruffy hair with strands of red at the roots.

He wore a baggy shirt and dirty pants.

All he was doing there was... Nothing.

He simply stood. Unsure of what to do.

Existing.

He looked down at the scars on his right forearm.

????: ...

...

????: ?

He noticed the three.

????: ...

They did not bother him.

Tomo: ?

Thorn went to go first.

Reach stopped her - suspecting a possible motive.

Thorn: ...

...

Step..

Step..

Reach walked up to him with no malicious intent.

He paused before speaking.

Reach: ...

...

Reach: "Who..."

Reach: "...Are you...?"

The man was still looking down.

Reach could not see his eyes.

You could almost feel the anguish in the man’s gentle voice as he finally spoke.

...

...

...

Ishi: "...Ishi."

[Chapter 15 -- End]