10 -ii

                      X - ii

…how is she…if she gets this one in too, then-

Eyes bulging, hand on head, mouth sewn gaping - Mikota watched on numbly: the girl spun another arrow in her fingers, pulling its feathery tail over the bowstring - tugging round her honey-pine bow as she raised it up, one eye still shut as she re-aimed at the log he’d rooted. A hundred meters away.

Ried…how am I-

The bow creaked, taut round.

…now-

The girl let go - her arrow whistling away as it shot through the air, his gaze swerving left to its hurtle-

…is it going to-

A soft crack rang out, warm grass hitting his knees as he sank down, sieving out her arrow's mark.

Flawless.

“...Saridus…what the Hell-”

“YES - YES! GO, MY DISPENSIBLE FLESHBAGS!!”

Celia had split her last one in two. Again.

Hands trembling, Mikota cupped his mouth-

“You’re amazing, Celia - Am-azing!!”

The girl pulled her down, palm drawing down to her hip as she looked around aimlessly.

…uhh…oh! Right, right - she can’t-

“.Wait…this is kind of an issue, right?”

“More than Two-bit? Never. Besides, I think she’ll probably have learned to read to compensate. Let’s start there”

“But I don’t know how to write that quickly yet!”

“...we can work on sign language then - it’s faster than writing anyway. You’ll need every second you can spare out there”

“You know sign language?”

“Of course I do…although I am decidedly not opposed to an incy-wincy refresher- again, just to fill in the infinitesimal gaps I’ve just found out - drilled in across the centuries, no doubt”

…incy-wincy….ground zero….zeroey

Mikota sighed, pushing himself up as he looked around.

“Where are the others, by the way? They just kinda left-”

“PFFTTTHHH…”

“...uhh…elobarat-”

“The fact that I can’t see them right now is extremely concerning - for the sake of securing our dignity, I demand a manhunt at once! Chop-chop, Mik - let’s round my favourite pickle, and get on with it”

Mikota smiled, waving at Celia as he sauntered down the last bulge to the grassless patch near the forest riddled with hours of saber training - she was currently whizzing her bow around at the forest, mock firing as she snapped the bowstring every now and then. She caught his eye, smiling brightly as she finally dropped her boy, waving back

It helps her focus…like my saber

Her beige cloak fluttered in the breeze, hood falling behind her short neck length hair. He’d never seen any of them without it - and as for while sleeping…Ms. Evaine said curiosity was a wonderful thing anywhere…except in a girl’s room. She did not elaborate.

“...why do they never remove it? The cloak - I me-why are you banging the locket!?”

Saridus looked up at him wide-eyed, sneer stretching cheek-wide.

“...Mik…haven’t you already deduced…the obvious…?”

“...Uhh-”

“Our pickles can’t pull off the shirt-pant combo for SHIT! This is where we pull ahead, Mik! But, I will say…leaf-girl’s really climbed up the rungs since this morning. Buck up, Two-bit, but all the same - handy to know you’re not entirely a self-serving, blood-sucking prick - Progress!”

“Saridus, we went over this: Chanelle is NOT a vampire - we SAW her teeth up close, right?”

“New breed, clearly - immune to sunlight, retractable fangs, thus-far exuberant incompetence…oh, come on! You can’t say for sure, can you? Stick to the safe side, Mik”

Sighing nasally, his gaze fell down to the olive slopes rolling ahead as he trekked down

…still can’t believe…in front of both of them I…why

“...I was the prick today, Saridus…they didn’t even need to…”

Why did I cry? Why? It was…nothing they said should’ve-

“Motion Celia here, and stop walking”

“...What…? Why?”

“...Are you rueing the boy who will journey all of Elegaidra?”

What!?

…was he…rueing-

Clenching his fists, Mikota curled his foot in - slope thumping as he set it back deftly.

“...I will never rue Elegaidra - never…but…me…I’m-”

“A part of Elegaidra, Mikota…standing on this mountain, atop the Dragon…”

“....I…am...yeah…it’s true”

Drawing his palm closer, he wiped his face.

…23 days, Black Pith…we will not rue.

Mikota kicked his leg back, tossing the ground behind as he launched forward into the air…higher… higher…

‘Top of the morning’ worked

~

“Okay, out with it - you absolutely hogged him at breakfast - what the hell, Lamie?”

Chanelle dragged her up the last bulge, huffing as she pulled up.

…that was…too fast…oh god-

“...W-what’re you…?”

Chanelle rolled her eyes, holding Limani up as she panted desperately.

Through the nose…through the nose…

“Nothing, nothing…resident mom”

“...mom? And…where are we…going…?”

“Mikota’s room. Because we’re restless”

“You’re restless! I was fine…sitting down…in that little bench down there-”

“Oh, no - I am never letting you ogle him on your own…n-not that I want to what-are-you-insane-why-would-I-want-that? H-honestly…hey, how does this door open again?”

“...what? Did you even - this…whole morning-”

No. She did not. Okay. She did not. Wow.

~

It was probably after walking into Pop’s quarters one fine morning and finding the place absolutely trashed with bronze entrails, when she realised something - you could tell a lot about someone by entering their room unannounced….


…so…this…his room…is…

Her gaze fell left, trailing down the beige shutters as it fell to his bed.

…there’s no way

She squinted, rolling out her staff - lowering it over the sheet as she pulled closer-

…how?

The staff glinted, bronze head tapping soundlessly on the white bed.

Not. One. Wrinkle.

…and I thought Limani was obsessive….

“...well, I guess we’re not dealing with roommate problems, right?”

“...Chan…this…is so horrible - why are we- this is trespassing!”

“Oh, come-on! We need to know about him, right? Besides - the door wasn’t locked, was it? No ‘break and entry’ involved!”

“...I don’t know if that’s how…”

“...how?”

Sighing, she looked up. Limani was standing ahead, back turned to her - gazing down at the desk.

“...What is it?”

“...h-he draws…he’s been practicing how to write too…I don’t think he ever went to…”

“Huh? Lemme see-”

Chanelle sauntered to her friend - Limani flinching as she finally palmed her shoulder, peeking over.

There were sheets of parchment scattered on the tabletop - each etched in rough charcoal scrawlings…wait, no…they were letters…letters and numbers, drawn again and again - jagged, falling off the horizontal.

Chanelle swiped away at the loose sheaves, spreading the pages under…there were drawings too - crudely drawn trees - gosh…he’d drawn hundreds of them all over the paper.

“...h-hah…what is he even…he do this all on the same day - is this an everyday thing?”

“...must be…”

…it was…kind of cute…and kind of the other side of him too - that side that got her brimming up again. He’d do what he wanted to…eventually - somehow.

…that part we’re all counting, Mikota-

His face…crying that way this morning - it’d hurt so much hearing that - seeing that and not being able to be single, goddamn…was it really…her?

No! What’d I say? I didn’t do…that

Pulling the sheet with trees, she lumbered down to the bed, sinking down by the edge - fingers tracing the coarse etchings as she stared at the floorboards.

It was…something about his father, from what she could understand? But what? Was it some fight? She’d had fights with Pops before, long back ago - some got bad…worse than she wanted them to be. But it was her doing the fighting - snapping when she couldn’t take one of his weird lifestyle choices, or stand another ‘critique’ about her fashion anymore.

The paper crinkled in her hand, fingers tightening.

…It wasn’t that - that look Limani gave her…there was something far worse going on, and she knew it better than her.

…if it's some fricking asshole involved I swear-to-god….of course there is…because someone like him…

He’d tell no one. He’d keep it all in, until you cut it out of him.

“...Lamie…”

Chanelle huffed, gritting her teeth.

…now I feel like shit

“...Limani!”

“Y-yes - yes?”

“Did you find something…?”

Limani tugged her cap again, hurriedly stacking up the sheaves.

“...w-we shouldn’t be seeing these anyway…come on - we can go out now, right…?”

Rolling her eyes, Chanelle set aside her paper - throwing herself back. Head sinking into the plush mattress, she sighed labouriously.

“C-Chanelle-!?”

“...can it, Lamie…we’ll make it back later…”

…sorry girl…

“...down?”

“...I guess…what’d you think he’s made so many trees for? Thought I saw some of the others full of it too”

“...he’s practicing texture…rough texture”

Chanelle smirked, rolling her to her side as she eyed Limani staring at the drawings.

“...oh yeah? What for?”

Her friend sighed shakily, slowly drawing up a sheave of paper.

“...This”

Chanelle sat up, wide eyed as gored at the sketch…

…there’s no…

A Yelion. Every. Single. Pore - bled out perfectly in charcoal.

~

“...you have got to be fucking kidding me…he drew this?”

Chanelle stood beside her, shaking her head as she took in the drawing.

Limani gave her a glance, smiling amusedly.

…well, looks like she’s back to normal

“...so it would seem”

“Limani-”

Limani flinched as Chanelle grabbed her back, jabbing at the paper-

“This is artisan-level stuff - just think back to the Monster Guide back at Nirote’s Guild - this tops that Easy…”

A smile slowly curled into Chanelle’s lips, eyes wandering around.

“...we could actually make a buck off this!”

Limani arched her eyebrows, grimacing.

“....Chan…can we not find ways to fund gum and eyeliner?”

“Hey! I need gum!”

“And eyeliner?”

“...w-we need that too - you and Celia used it once!”

“Because you told us to try it out - and Celia nearly drank it last time in case you’ve forgotten, so absolutely not”

Chanelle scoffed, crossing her arms as she tossed her head away.

…too much?

“...Chan-”

“Don’t even try - someone’s gotten real bossy all of a sudden…”

Limani sighed, setting the paper down.

“...I do feel much better here…maybe it’s the air - it's a fresh forest breeze, all the time, clearer than anything down in Nirote…don’t think I’ve felt this good in…”

…years. It’s been years

“Yay. Happy?”

“...listen, we have to be really, really careful about what we do from now on, okay? We can’t keep making the same mistakes. Spending money on things like that while we’re barely breaking even anyway…that’s on par with cross-dressing Mikota - which I’m really starting to doubt why you’re vying for- ”

“I-It’s a Perfectly Valid Suggestion - I’m-sorry - Do you want him to be picked apart just because he looks…girly?”

“H-he’s not ‘girly’ - he’s…he’s…”

“Adrogynous…is that the word you’re looking for?”

“Yes, yes, that’s what I…w-wait, what?”

…that was-

Throat tightening, Limani turned around.

Mikota. Leaning by the door, smiling softly.

…Celia too…wait - Oh No!

Limani held up her hands

“M-Mikota I-I swear I tried to talk her out of it-”

“What’re-you-talking-about-it-was-you!!”

“H-hah!? W-wait she’s…okay…m-maybe it is…a l-little…”

Straightening up, the boy stayed his smile - pink eyes glittering as his hand slipped into his trouser pocket...slowly drawing out a little book.

…what is he…?

Mikota shook it around lightly, tapping the booklet.

“I’ll come to this a bit later, but we’ll all be learning from this. For example-”

He turned behind, facing Celia…who’d been getting her hands in the thick of his gleaming, dusk tresses - the girl’s eyes quickly squinting , snapping to Mikota as he carefully drew up his hand…his fingers were slowly curling…a ring…ring opening, now two finger joint together, jabbing to the room now…fingers splitting now, and…a peace sign…?

…is that…he can talk signs?!

“...B-but wait-”

Celia widened her eyes, nodded enthusiastically - quickly brushing past him as she waved to Chanelle and Limani, plopping down happily on the bed.

Mikota looked to the notebook, quickly flipping it open as his eyes scanned its pages.

“...it’s rudimentary for now, but it should make things a lot easier between us…I was thinking we could hold her hand too - like alternating between us - she’s really lively, but sometimes it gets a little-”

“W-wait - but your pages- when did you learn to use signs?”

“Hmm…huh? Oh, no - that’s my own script…it’d be…better…if we all…hmmm…”

…when did he even…?

Sighing nasally, Mikota finally looked up from his book, quickly pocketing it…eyes just a little wide as they wandered around…and set on her.

“Limani…Chanelle…If you will, I’d like you to sit right next to her…I’m telling you everything”

~

She didn’t know what was more painful - the fact that her new in-a-few-days potential best- affable acquaintance just challenged the Worst. Possible. Person. To a fricking Apprentice Duel…or that he just brought it upfront in that adorable, tad-bit scruffy voice of his.

She thudded her staff down, prodding her brow on its head…eyeing Celia beside her, who lay back arms wide in Mikota’s bed, gazing up blankly.

…numb, huh? Yeah…

“...W-well, Mikota…while Chanelle…thinks about that - I-I mean - I don’t really know what exactly you…uhh…so it’s a fight of some kind?”

Mikota knit his fingers, nodding.

“...that’s what I gathered, while listening to him and Ms. Evaine’s conversation - the whole point of the duel is to demonstrate Ms. Evaine’s study of magic…and while I know it is significantly about that, Ms. Evaine actually brought up something very lightening: the rules of a duel are not confined to method-”

He glanced at Limani, smiling lightly.

“-which means all I have to do is knock them out…”

Limani flushed, dropping her gaze as she…was she…simpering?

Okay, that’s it-

“Mikota - Look At Me- Do You Even Understand What You’ve Given Yourself!? Do you know where you’ll be fighting, or in what conditions!? Did you have ‘n Inkling as to what th- Don’t Shush Me, Limani…I-If you’ve no clue what you’re doing then stop throwing yourself i-in…in…”

She clenched her staff - the bronze hide cutting into her palms as she sat shivering, jaw clenched.

…he’s not coming with us…he can’t…

What was…was he…no, he couldn’t- not now-

Don’t…please-

Gently dropping his palm under hers, Mikota leaned closer.

“...Chanelle…is there something I haven’t gone over?”

“E-Everything! Y-you…”

Tears brimmed in her eyes…useless, burning tears. Chanelle glared, her palms whipping them dry.

…great. So much for starting over…fucking useless…

An Apprentice Duel…it was one of those grand things performed under millions of people - It wasn’t a joke. People spent their entire lives preparing for it - for that one debut where they made a victory - kickstarting their careers: Enough of Pop’s earlier talks had set that much straight…but now with Ziekkah involved…Mikota could give everything he had from now and still-

“...Chanelle-”

“I-It’s not some side-jig you can half-ass, Mikota - you wagered everything against…w-what? Him being satisfied!? What the Hell Does that Even Mean, Huh!?”

Mikota stayed close, breathing softly.

…what…did I just…no…shit - shit!

“...M-Mikota, w-wait…I didn’t m-mean it like..”

Burning over her eyes, tears welled - slowly tracing off her cheek…Mikota…was he-

Don’t…please-

His hands rolled away from hers…setting gently against her face, brushing it dry.

…what?

“...I’ve come to terms with this fact: the circumstances of the duel will be…something I’m not prepared for…something I’ve never done before…and until this morning, well…I suppose I’d never really dared to face that like this, but-”

Hands swiftly cupping her chin, he raised her head…soft smile, dusk hair curling over his bright pink gaze as it fumed down-

“...I’m grateful…so grateful to have you as companions…so happy to know that I am where I am…this is the best moment I could have ever had right now…with the best friends I can ever ask for…”

…s-stop…if you say anymore then I’ll…

She looked away - no…she wasn’t gripping his hand…she wasn’t…were the windows shut? The air-

“Chanelle…Limani…”

He turned to Celia, bringing up his hand as he flashed his fingers.

The girl perked up immediately, excitedly springing up.

Instant recoil!!

“Everything we learn and grow from…that’s what will decide everything, the duel will come, but right now…we have but one goal: ranking A as a party in the AAE…so take this as my promise to you - to fulfill every hope and dream we carry…”

Mikota stepped back - noon light wetting half his body in cinder’s gleam, as he was facing the three of them - finger notching at them; a smile dipped into his lips, wide, pink eyes falling gently ahead-

…Heartshot

“...We’re leaving here badass”