Trouble and Teamwork

In the tranquil silence of the night, Camellia stood stunned atop the spire. The conversation with Damos had not gone how she had expected. Slowly, she sat back down, processing the evening. Without even thinking, she had said some rather unpleasant things to her first friend in this world.

But a part of that was all true, wasn’t it? He does have an easy life. All he does is goof around and have fun. Why would his parents even remotely expect him to win the solos?

Now Camellia, was that not a little too harsh? Look Obbie, I know both Camellia and I see how childish Damos is, but he’s never been unkind to her. I think that’s going a little too far, even if him passing the trials all by himself is an outlandish idea.

I suppose I shouldn’t judge Camellia too harshly. She’s been through a lot.

Let’s simply continue and see what happens.

Camellia waited at the top of the spire for a few minutes, but it quickly became clear that Damos was not returning. Then what was she to do? Her only place of lodging was with the person who just stormed off after a nasty argument. She didn’t know where Phoebe or Lynn lived, either. It dawned on her just how much she had been relying on Damos since her arrival in this world.

Where could she sleep? There were really only two places she felt familiar with: Damos’ house and the training grounds.

Screw it, what’s the harm in a little camping trip? No way I can be near Damos right now.

Scanning the horizon, Camellia made good use of the height advantage to find a huge break in the wall, a giant hole in the city.

There. Beneath the moon. Sights set, she slipped down the cave, back out onto the street, and headed for the training grounds.

~~~~~~

“Camellia?”

Someone calling her name jolted Camellia awake. “What? I’m up, I’m up,” she said with a start, leaning up and rubbing her eyes. The makeshift blanket of kelp fell off her shoulders as she looked upwards to find Lynn and Phoebe staring down at her, faces wracked with worry.

Lynn knelt next to her. “Camellia, what are you doing here?”

Judging by the darkness around her, it was just before dawn. Phoebe stretched her arms, yawning. “Training hard, huh?”

Camellia sat up all the way, putting her palms to her eyes to clear away the sleep. “Haha, yea—” She stopped when she saw Lynn’s concerned face. Remembering their conversation from yesterday, Camellia elected to tell the truth instead. “Well, no. I wasn’t training. I got into a fight with Damos.”

Camellia told the two everything that had happened after patching everything up with Lynn, from the shouting from inside the shop to the insults on top of the spire.

“Like, you saw how hard I had to work to get my aspect. It’s ridiculous for him to say I have it easy like that,” Camellia protested.

Helping Camellia up from her makeshift bed in the sand with her tentacles, Phoebe shrugged. “Meh. He’ll get over it. Kinda deserves a bit of a reality check in that regard, maybe. He spends way too much time putzing around. And he does have it pretty nice.” She shook her head. “I mean, hell, what I wouldn’t give for the extent of my family problems to just be that I wasn’t trying hard enough.”

Camellia brushed the sand off her legs, shaking it out of her dress from a night on the ground. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too.”

“And with all of the effort he expends, where has it gotten him? I can still flatten him, easy,” Phoebe cackled.

“That’s unkind.”

Both Camellia and Phoebe turned to Lynn, who raised one eyebrow in an irked expression. Folding her arms, she continued, “Neither of you realizes how hard he actually works, do you?”

“Uh, Lynn, what about me? I mean, I worked incredibly hard, and just look at how good I am now. Where is he, huh?” Phoebe asked casually.

“You sound just like your father, Phoebe, saying he can’t ever be great due to some inherent flaw.”

That shut Phoebe up.

“That sort of attitude isn’t just wrong, it’s malicious. After all the issues with your own father, how could you treat Damos the same way?” Lynn scolded.

Camellia remained quiet, her stomach beginning to churn. Phoebe looked at the ground.

“He may have a relatively easier living situation, but he’s had to put in twice the effort to reach our level on the battlefield.” She pointed out to the open arena of the grounds, empty at this hour. “How many times has he been the one to initiate extra training? How much has he worked, despite his clear disadvantage, to try to keep up with you?”

“Well, I guess ya might have a point there,” Phoebe muttered. “I probably took the joking around a little too far. My bad.” The earnestness and sincerity in Phoebe’s voice stunned Camellia.

“And you,” Lynn addressed Camellia, “You’ve got firsthand experience with the extra lengths he goes to.”

Cautiously, Camellia asked, “How so?”

“The day he found you, Camellia. Out in the Crags? That’s one of his favorite ways to get in difficult practice, against the Deep Horned Leviathans.” She put her hands on her hips. “Moreover, he was also retrieving lost mementos of fallen champions, was he not?”

“I only ever saw him hand some silver coins over to some guy on the outskirts of the city,” Camellia mumbled.

“That’s another thing he does, too. He’s always trying to find ways to help out the poorer people on the edge, even with what little time he has.” She stared at Phoebe and Camellia, who now both looked at the ground in shame. “You two ought to be kinder to him. Really.”

Camellia’s brain felt scrambled. She had made up with Lynn, but then fought with Damos, and now Lynn was defending him. What was happening?

She settled on the idea that, at the very least, she should strive to maintain a good relationship with Lynn, if nobody else. “Yeah. I should be. I’m sorry, Lynn.”

“Me too. But can I still call him a bum? It’s a fun word,” Phoebe asked.

With a sigh, Lynn conceded, “Sure, Phoebe. I’m not your mother, you know. I just think you two should be a little nicer.”

Phoebe waved her hand dismissively. “Kindness and understanding, yeah, yeah. Can we get to fighting now?”

“I suppose. Let’s take it easy today, though, alright?” Lynn cautioned.

The three women spent the morning sparring against one another, every-girl-for-herself style. Camellia practiced her one-wing slash as much as she could, aiming to disorient and distract her opponent before rushing in with her knife. Unfortunately for her, her training partners were now intimately familiar with Camellia’s aspect and gave her plenty of trouble.

As the sun reached its zenith, the three took a short break, starting a lovely debate on what they might face in the team trials. When they went to return to the field, Lynn worriedly pointed out that Damos still hadn’t shown up.

Phoebe dismissed her concern. “He likes to sulk when he gets sad, Lynn, you know that.”

“True, but it’s very unlike him to miss the final possible day of training we have before the trials.” She bit her lip.

Camellia joined Phoebe. “I’m sure he’s fine. Probably just cooling off. I needed to, too.”

You’re still not fully cooled off, Camellia. Don’t be coy.

Relenting, Lynn allowed them to continue training for a short while more, cutting them off in the mid-afternoon. A good meal and a long night's rest would do wonders, she told them. Phoebe happily suggested school skewers again, and the three departed the grounds early for a hearty dinner.

As Camellia slowly chewed the grilled fish, she realized how quiet it was without Damos there.

The other half of her brain mocked the thought. We don’t need him here just to eat. Maybe he ought to reflect a little, anyway.

After eating their fill, the three stood outside the restaurant in the fading sunlight, preparing to say goodbye until tomorrow.

“And don’t forget to bring your shoulder guards, Phoebe.”

“I won’t, I won’t. Sheesh,” Phoebe rolled her eyes.

Camellia drew a sharp breath, interrupting Lynn and Phoebe.

“What’s wrong, Cammy?”

She shuffled her feet. “I… Do either of you have a place I could sleep? I’m not hoping to rest under some kelp again.”

Folding her arms, Lynn tutted, “Camellia, you can’t just run away like this. You’ve got to face him and apologize.”

“I know, it’s just… I don’t feel like I can. Not tonight.”

Lynn, about to continue to reprimand Camellia, stopped in her tracks upon seeing Camelia's wide, pleading eyes, on the brink of tears. She sighed. “Alright. If it’s what you need, then so be it.”

Phoebe elbowed Lynn, raising her eyebrows. “Hey, hey, maybe she can spend the night with you instead, huh?”

“Phoebe!”

Camellia shook her head, heart racing at the thought. “No, no, no, I couldn’t. Really. I don’t want to force myself on you.”

Shoulders dropping, Phoebe stopped. “Ugh, alright, alright. I see what’s going on. Here, you can spend the night with me. I’m not into girls.”

Lynn shoved her. “Phoebe!”

Phoebe snickered in response.

“Would that be okay?” Camellia asked. Lynn looked away, blushing.

“Yeah, just don’t go expectin’ a fancy room or nothing. I got an extra bed, but that’s about it.”

“That works just fine,” Camellia sighed in relief.

Lynn composed herself, taking a deep breath and straightening her back. “Alright then. Tomorrow morning, before the sun’s rise. At the shop?”

“Sounds good. C’mon, Cammy, let’s hit the sponge.”

Lynn waved them goodbye, and Camellia followed Phoebe to a new part of the city, her home, to spend the night. All the while, she thought back to Damos and his red, puffy eyes, sulking alone in his disorganized room.

The trials were sure to be a challenge.