Escalations

"Do you have any idea which way they went?"

Luke asked Sofia as they scrambled out of the restaurant and looked back and forth up the neat street for the other pair.

"No..."

We... were having so much fun together that... we... just the two of us... we lost track of time...

There wasn't any sign of them at all, and Luke again took the lead.

"Here, come this way..."

They marched to the near corner, heading toward the towns nearby small park area, and it took until the next small street for Sofia to realise something important.

Is it all that vital that we find them...? I mean they're pretty settled and probably won't get in trouble here... Luke's being so gentle with... my... -!?

She went a flutter when she finally realized he was holding her hand again.

You know what... I do don't care anymore... Let me have this time... together with him...

By the time the local pair caught sight of the want-to-be-Knight and the pale and red Oni, the two were inseparable, walking in the rather vacant park and now barely took their eyes from the other.

"Is that them?"

Through Sofia's sharp eyes; the two figures on the far side of the green space appeared more like an oversized girl toddling about with a big scruffy teddy-bear, as Rafael now wore a jacket that almost matched his scraggly hair.

"Yeah, it's them..."

Luke and Sofia cut across the open park to get nearer, but halted when their watched two doubled back and seemed to come back their way, so then they side-stepped into the central 'flower garden' area to avoid being seen.

"We can hide amongst these arches and duck about then to keep hidden, sound good?"

Luke looked down at Sofia, who again was distracted.

"Huh...? Oh yeah..."

With all the flowers in full bloom... this setting is so romantic...

Sofia glanced about at all the surrounding colours and took a deep sweet smelling breath to sure herself up.

I can't let this go to waste... I... need to take advantage of our setting...

"Um... Luke..."

She hesitated as she looked to his face again.

"Yeah..."

Her words brought his attention, and he waited for more with kind patience.

Oh gosh... what do I say...? Got'ta stay calm though... and say it plainly...

"You know... I mean; I think... you know..."

She wavered under his sight, but he quietly did nothing more as she got slightly flustered.

"They are good together... so I was thinking... we probably don't need to keep an eye on them...?"

Sofia hadn't really been doing that anyway, but then Luke looked slightly disappointed.

"Do you want me to go then-?"

"Oh no! Not at all, actually..."

She stepped fractionally closer and gripped his still holding hand a little more too.

"Yes...?"

His gentle smile returned as Sofia felt her heart begin to beat double hard.

"Maybe... we could do something else... together?"

She almost whispered to him as she fought with her lack of confidence, but he replied quickly, catching her off guard.

"Then what did you want to do instead?"

Sofia froze while her thoughts swirled like a whirlpool in her mind.

He wants' to... that's great... but what now...? Where should we go...? Honestly I don't really care where... can't just outright say that though... right...?

"Uh..."

Sofia couldn't fiddle with her hands, since one was occupied, so she just crumpled her dress beside her hip as she tried to come up with something.

"...I - is there anything you wanted to do?"

She deflected, having not come up with her own option.

"Well..."

She hung off his one word, with baited breath.

"...what about the bookstore? I haven't been for a while myself... but if you-"

"No, no... that will be just perfect."

Sofia knew he had a passion for reading, so seeing him happy would indubitably see her in a similar state.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Who knows... maybe I'll get something out of it too..."

Sofia suddenly clamped up after hearing her casual words leave her mouth.

"Alright then... it's a..."

Luke went to say more, but also pulled back his words, but because of a new person who had entered the area and directly stormed towards the others they had followed there.

Isn't that...-?

"You lied to me!"

The irate lady shouted at them as she stomped toward the nearby couple.

"Oh Isabella? What...?"

Rafael jerked to a stop, while Boa watched on curiously as the black clad woman, carrying her weapon on her hip, came to them.

"You said you'd watch on from a distance, but here you are hanging all over - is that... another one of those creatures!"

The other Knight-trainee didn't curve her language as she created a scene and got nearer, while being loud enough to draw attention from the few spread across the wide park.

"Uh - Isabella this is Boa - Boacizi actually... And Boa this is my sister..."

His manners kicked in as he awkwardly introduced them to one another, while Rafael's similarly heighted sister glared up at the different towering red Oni.

"A... pleasure to meet Raf's family member..."

Boa hesitantly stepped toward the fuming sister, and with good reason, as Isabella suddenly slashed her whipped out shiny blade at Boacizi, who leapt back, fluttering harmlessly away in her red dress to avoid the quick stroke - almost entirely.

"Oh - you are a very brave soul!"

A few light shed hairs from the tip of her braid sprinkled between the two, who both quickly assumed their own ready stances.

"I'm family, so back off!"

"Isabella?"

Rafael was apparently shocked by the sudden turn, but remained ignored and out of their way, as Boa almost looked excited to be facing off against the newcomer.

"Hmm, you have every right to intervene then - do you find me unfit in some way?"

The seemingly fearless woman held her sword upright and close to her frame as she stared up at her chosen opponent.

"In every way!"

Silence gripped the area as everyone looked on.

Should we stop them... or let this play out...? Actually... scratch that - it would probably be far too dangerous to intervene...

Isabella changed her stance as she stepped closer, as she gave a glare over her angled blade, which gave Sofia - who watched from the sidelines, the biggest shiver she'd ever had in her life.

Darn that's scary as...

It then equally alarmed Sofia in the ease in which Boa simply reached back and snapped the railing off the nearest park-seats side, making herself a makeshift metal weapon.

"I accept your challenge!"