Average

Staring at the ceiling of the metallic home left even greater discomfort. Like there was a jagged spike poking at his side. He turned his gaze towards the right, where a metallic wall stood, then towards the left. Purple hair blocked the other half of his view.

…

“Why are you here… wait… WHY ARE YOU HERE?” he instantly got his foot kicked, kicking himself onto the rough floor face first. He spun himself around onto his feet, looking at Ino drooling onto the bed.

Ino, still deep in her slumber, responds, “The other place was so uncomfy, so I sneaked in here again while you were sleeping. I tried to… tried… to wake yo—” her face plummeted back into the mattress, cutting off the rest of her words.

How does she take these things lightly! Not only did she sneak into a man's bed, but she also decided not to tell me.

Sorin quickly pulled her out of the bed onto the floor with a huge thud. “Get up already.” he then even gave her one final kick to the side. “That's for all of the poking I felt.” After a second, his face planted onto the floor again.

“That's for kicking a defenceless woman when she's asleep.” Ino lowered her feet back onto the floor as they both lay down. “We're getting you a new outfit, then we're going to begin the first plan. I asked Chikaru, the coworker, to set us up with an easy plan to introduce you to the revolutionary life”

Sorin just sighed out. “We're here to end the war, right? Please don't make this an unrelated mission, if anything. I'm not here to indulge in your terrorism.” Sorin patted down his robes. “I'm giving myself a cloth change, right? What do you got in store”

Ino quickly spun around Sorin, taking in all his angles, her fingers running through the fabric of his robe. “Maybe something more rigid. Why do you all wear robes anyway? Mine is at least firm and made for fighting”

“It's tradition, if anything, but having them flutter around is rather inconvenient sometimes. They are reinforced, however, with spells during making. I doubt you can find something more durable.” Sorin brushed Ino's hands to the side, sick of her constant skimming of his body.

He took his arms to the neck to get off his robe. His figure underneath his robe was slim and athletic; his garments, a premium white shirt with lining, gave him flair that Ino couldn't ignore. His pants were dark grey, matching the robe; otherwise, the outfit would feel weird.

“Leave the robe. Bring your staff; we will set out towards your new horizon in a mere moment. The future is waiting! Let's not delay. You know the face changing spell at least?”

“That's basic infiltration magic, of course.” He sighed; her expectations of him were pretty low despite all that hero talk.

Ino ran out of the house with Sorin following close behind as they both used wind magic to jump down onto the lowest street level while avoiding everyone's gaze of them using magic.

Walking around the lawless city, Ino led the way. Her steps, however, were very casual, almost like skipping rather than actually walking. The people paid no mind to her actions; they saw her so many times it was just normal Ino behaviour. Sorin walked in practised perfect strides. His steps were heavy yet not too much; his gaze was sharp, scanning around still unfamiliar.

Further ahead, Ino entered a door; Sorin quickly paced closer, following her in. The inside left his expression unreadable. There was a clean building inside this lawless city that didn't reek of rust or dirt. It was almost as if the building was made of concrete. Clothes lined the walls everywhere, from armour for battle to robes to simple garments for daily life. A single old lady four times his age stood at a reception desk.

“Ino, it's been a while. What sort of custom-made dress are you looking for this time?” The old lady's voice rang with a low, tired hue but with warmth that filled the atmosphere instantly.

Pulling Sorin closer to her side, almost as if they were holding hands together. He could only loosen, hoping not to rub off her “I want an outfit that would blend in with the common people above.”

Not this again. One way to also introduce me; it's so embarrassing.

“I’m Hachi.” he bowed his head gently and elegantly.

The old lady's face turned a bit sour. “Another one with not even a second name. Seems like we're really losing what made Acluraria great in its prime.” She then coughed before continuing, “Blending in with the common people is an easy task. Share the details, you never come with a normal request.”

“You know me so well! I'm looking for something that can withstand spells for mages. Just an average mage.” A grin on her face shone down at the old lady sighing out in exhaustion from yet another Ino request.

She lowered her head under the desk and looked at the supplies she had for such things. They were easy to steal, and their value was high, but this was the most respected shop in all of the lawless city. The only place that gave people a sense of a society: “I can provide waterproofing magic and windproofing at most.”

“That's fine! If that's all we can get, then I'm thankful for you.” Ino set down a full lump of silver coins, her face turning to the side, just giving a wink telling him exactly how someone without any money suddenly got a whole pouch of silver coins in one walk session, but he ignored the thought without having proof. It was better to be ignorant.

The lady went into the back of the shop while Ino browsed around. It was a rather peaceful environment which allowed Sorin to relax a bit. After a couple of minutes, the lady came out with what was, interestingly, the most average, the most insignificant piece of clothing yet.

“It's perfect,” Sorin muttered under his breath,

Ino just nodded in agreement. “You will look so normal that it will make me think that you're like a fraud rather than someone important to me”

“Lady Ino… Is this man your partner?”

Sorin's jaw dropped, and Ino moved forward. “Something like that, let's say he can handle my wildness like I can handle my payments for your extreme crafts!”

“Oh my—” The lady dropped onto the floor with shock,

Ino, having done her business, turned towards the exit, seeing Sorin peek over the desk. “Just come on, she does that sometimes.” Leaving the door open behind her, it took only a moment for Sorin to come.

“Using a spell to put on clothes and change your appearance instantly is such a waste of magic schooling, but I will let it slide this time. You mages sure fell off compared to what we used to use it for.” Her eyes, however, gazed up and down Sorin, rather impressed with what the old lady managed to have made.

Sorin gave himself a look up and down. A brown shirt with dark green pants; attached were pieces of leather around his arms and torso, which looked bulky. His hair turned from his natural blonde to black, and his eyes turned dark green instead of amber.

I look so painfully average; it does work perfectly, but I really do not like this new look. For the greater good of my future, I suppose.

“We can begin our mission now.” Ino took off running and jumped within the higher parts of the city, making Sorin rush after her like a chase sequence. They weaved and turned so many times that even he couldn't make out the direction despite just knowing the shop was a moment ago. Ino was his only guide.

Ino dashed into a higher floor of the city, where she took sharp turns in alleyways, weaving through metallic scaffolding that held it high up until dropping down into a small hole designed for only a human into a dark chamber. Sorin followed down

“Slow down already… I'm completely lost.”

Ino grinned. “That's the point; you can't expose this location without me as planned!” She then took a step towards the darkness, jumping down a hatch prepared for her. “Chikaru opened up!”