Dates

Ayuri instantly flushes at the sudden announcement of love between them; the thread also stops dancing as it takes in the information, causing it to freeze up.

“A date? I think it's time we did talk after all,” Shina says quietly towards him; her eyes weren’t excited, they closed towards him in anticipation of this moment.

Ayuri recoils away at Shina’s acceptance; a live confession was forming within her own romantic self, trying to retain its sanity and not interrupt their lover's moment.

“Me and Toki… We will be fine!” She stumbles on her own words; the idea of Shina finally getting someone to like her was something she never could have imagined.

Toki, getting out of the tent, walks up behind Hiwo. “I know we talked about this, but you sure seem hasty this time.”

Ayuri, not understanding anything, starts to flush even redder. A hidden wingman in disguise, trying to hook up two loners, was like something straight out of a manga for her.

She stumbles around trying to retain her excitement, “Just be back before midday…”

I think she's the only one who doesn't understand the situation; however, it's better that way. Having her know this is more serious might just put her in a worse state, especially now that she's filled with delusions.

Hiwo turns to Shina with a disapproving frown. “The forest – we can go to the river in the centre.”

“Fine with me.” Shina takes his hand, both of them grabbing on lightly enough where it's visible to Toki and Ayuri that they are holding but not enough for them to cause discomfort.

Hiwo takes a glance towards Toki, feigning innocence. “I'm taking your spear for a while, just in case something interrupts us. You have Ayuri anyway.”

“Bring it back in one piece.” Toki walks over, grabs his spear, and tosses it towards Hiwo, who catches it with his free hand.

Both Hiwo and Shina walk away from the camp, the grass fields and sun making Ayuri panic even further within her delusions.

“I never knew they liked each other! This is… amazing. Her body was aching this moment, shivering at the thoughts of what could happen while on their date.

Toki just lets out a sigh before placing a hand on her shoulder. “We're alone too, so let's enjoy it. Show me a trick you learnt.”

Ayuri flushes again. “Sure, I can show you a couple of things I learnt with my threads.”

Thoughts shifted within her. Was this a double date? she asked. She was pretty much convinced at this stage that it was; her lack of romantic experience was finally being filled.

…

"You haven't said anything yet. If this were a date, then I would walk off already.” Shina glances towards her side at Hiwo, who is kneeling next to the river.

Hiwo turns his face silent, his emotions become unreadable, and he tightens the grip on his spear.

“It's not; I have matters to discuss.” He turns to her, staring up at her body, still looking across the river, while looking down at him.

“My power isn't something of concern to you,” she said abruptly.

Hiwo chuckles slightly. “So you know what I was going to ask, yet you say it's not a concern of mine.”

He stands up fully from the riverbed, turning around to face towards Shina.

“Every time you use that orb of yours, what happens to you? Do you see painful pasts or perhaps emotion?” he calmly stated

Shina shakes her head before turning to face him as well. “You are very perceptive. I know the strategist has his act, but it's still frightening that you can assume such things without proof.”

“Every time you absorb someone, you stagger, you stop fighting and hold your face like you are in pain; however, that didn't happen sometimes.”

Shina sighed, “You are talking about the owl girl.”

“I made sure to peek, even if you didn't want me to.”

She glares down towards him. There was something about the way he spoke to her that just sickened her to the core.

“Are you saying my power is flawed, or perhaps that the goddess purposely made it flawed?” Her tone shifted to annoyance as he questioned the goddess's intentions.

Hiwo grasps the spear tighter, knowing he's about to hit a nerve. “I believe in her still; trusting her the way you do is the biggest mistake.”

She started to get slightly angry. "She gave us all powers; yours and Ayuri's aren't even flawed. Why would you assume mine is?”

“She is pretty tricky; I'm just a pawn in her game, aren't I? I don't know why, but there is definitely something different.”

Her eyes looked down at the spear he was holding, roughly, almost prepared for anything for him to strike them. It was a way for him to protect himself, but in her eyes, it wasn’t that simple.

“Do you think I will attack you for this?” She calmly replied, not wanting to turn this into a fight; she knew breaking apart now is still worse than anything.

Hiwo glances down at the spear. “I think I do, because I'm not leaving until it stops.”

A silence remains until he speaks again, ready to test the loyal comrade of his.

“Would you attack us if the goddess ordered it? Would you absorb my power and Ayuri’s if she ordered it? Tell me,” a hint of pain behind his words.

Turning back around towards the other side of the riverbed, she wears a solemn expression, one that has nothing hidden but nothing showing.

“I would.”

The silence returned. Was it just that, however? Now, no, it was also tension and threat hanging around them, two of the same side against each other.

Shina adds, “Do you remember when we first met?”

“I had a dream about just before we did,” he reminisces about his dream.

Shina turns back to meet his face, and it is softer this time. Her eyes opened gently, and her lips curled into a small smile.

“When we met, I was just as devoted as I am even now at this moment.” She left no room for argument.

Hiwo nods, “That's correct, but think about it a different way. From my perspective”

“Your perspective?” she asks, confused.