What Wind Took

Chena: Hey, Warui.

Chena: Auntie said to get oranges from Mr. Aoki before we head back.

Warui: [Stops running]. When did my mom even say that?

Chena: Jeez, I knew you weren't listening.

Warui: Pssh, okay.

Warui: Did she give you any money?

Chena: Takes a pouch out of her woven basket full of apples and shows it to Warui.

Eight minutes later

Warui and Chena: Walk along a path as they pass by buildings.

Warui: Ughhh, we could've already been home.

Chena: And do what? I don't see why you're in such a rush.

Warui: And I don't know why you're always acting like we have all day.

Chena: Because we do.

Chena: And you didn't pick an apple today.

Chena: You know that boulder on the hill isn't going to budge.

Warui: One of these days I'll get it to roll down the hill.

Warui: Didn't you see?

Warui: I used that log this time and it actually moved just a teeny bit.

Warui: If only you'd help-

Merchant: Warui! Chena!

Warui and Chena: [Stop at a merchant stand and look ahead of them]. Hi, Mr. Aoki!

Mr. Aoki: Ooh, the apples are a much deeper red color today.

Chena: Yeah, they're going to be so sweet.

Mr. Aoki: [Chuckles]. I've got to have you two pick apples for me someday.

Mr. Aoki: I'll pay by the apple.

Warui: [Giggles]. We're fine, Mr. Aoki.

Chena: You don't even pick any-

Warui: Shut up.

Mr. Aoki: [Laughs]. Alright, well, what have you two been sent here for today?

Mr. Aoki: Grapes?

Chena: Oranges this time.

Chena: We have enough money for four.

Mr. Aoki: [Grabs four oranges out of the tray in front of him]. Okay, here you two go.

Warui: [Takes the oranges from Mr. Aoki and holds them in his hands]. Thank you, Mr. Aoki.

Chena: Holds the pouch to Mr. Aoki as he takes it from her.

Mr. Aoki: You two enjoy the rest of your day.

Warui and Chena: [Turn their heads as they walk away]. Bye, Mr. Aoki!

Warui: Hey look.

Warui: River!

River: In the distance holding a heavy wooden bucket of water.

Warui: [Walks up to River with Chena]. You got water from the well by yourself today?

River: Yeah, well...

River: I actually went looking for you two.

Chena: Yeah, sorry we couldn't help.

Chena: We went to get apples again.

River: It's okay.

River: [Looks at Warui]. Your mom told me she had a surprise for you two, actually.

Warui: Really? Did you see what it was?

River: Nope, I have no clue.

Warui: [Skips past River]. Chena, come on.

Chena: [Follows Warui]. I can't run. I don't want to drop any apples.

Warui: Stop by later, River!

River: I will! See you guys!

Six minutes later

Warui: What do you think it is?

Chena: We're almost at your house.

Warui: You're no fun.

Warui: Right there.

Warui: Mom!

Warui's Mom: [Stands in front of their house with a hand behind her back]. Oh, Chena, let me take that sweetheart.

Chena: [Hands the basket of apples to Warui's mom]. Thanks, Auntie, but it wasn't that heavy.

Warui's Mom: Looks like Warui's contribution was holding the oranges.

Chena: And pushing a boulder.

Warui: Hey, help is still help.

Warui: Mom, River said you had a surprise for us.

Warui's Mom: [Laughs]. Guess there's no reason to hide it.

Warui's Mom: [Places the basket of apples on the ground and holds her other hand out to show two silver necklaces with square pendants]. Your parents and I got you two matching necklaces.

Chena: [Eyes brighten]. Aww, Auntie, they're so nice. The pendants match too.

Warui's Mom: Mhm. Put them on.

Warui: [Takes his and wears it]. This is actually really nice, Mom.

Warui's Mom: Hold on, Chena.

Warui's Mom: Warui should put yours on for you.

Warui: Pfft, she can help herself.

Chena: Warui.

Warui: Turns his head to Chena quickly and pays attention.

Chena: ...Please?

Warui: Sighs and takes the necklace from his mom's hand.

Chena: Lifts her hair as Warui clasps her necklace around her neck.

Chena: [Lightly smiles]. I love it.

Warui's Mom: I knew you would.

Warui: [Smiles despite himself and nods]. Mm.

Warui's Mom: Alright.

Warui's Mom: Say it.

Warui: Mom-

Warui's Mom: No. I don't want to hear it.

Warui's Mom: You're attached at the hip anyway, so promise you'll never pretend otherwise.

Warui's Mom: Go on.

Chena: [Laughs]. We'll never-

Warui and Chena: Pretend we aren't in each other's lives.

Warui's Mom: [Smiles]. Good. Let's go inside now.

Warui's Mom: I cooked dinner.

Chena: Are my parents coming over?

Warui's Mom: They're coming over, honey.

Warui: Is Dad home?

Warui's Mom: Yeah, your father's here. He's got a new book for you to read.

Warui: [Runs into the house]. What's the book about, Dad?!

Present

Warui: Stands still beside Chena as he stares at the ruined building that used to be his house.

Warui: ...

Chena: Briefly looks at Warui then back to the ruins of his house and stays quiet.

Yuri, Khyrie, Kiel, Nash, and Micah: Stand a few steps away from Warui and Chena as Micah shows them a cabin.

Micah: We've rebuilt a couple of these houses, but it just takes so many materials.

Yuri: Is this what cabins look like in Orienne?

Micah: A little bit.

Micah: The adults added their own little spin to it.

Khyrie: It's neat.

Kiel: Warui! Chena!

Kiel: You two okay?

Kiel: You're falling behind.

Nash: They look like they've seen a ghost.

Yuri: Let them be.

Warui and Chena: Catch up to the group.

Warui: Sorry, what's going on?

Nash: Cabins are happening.

Micah: Come, I'll show you the farm.

Valeria City

Commander Mercer: Walks along the perimeter of the Army base with Malia.

Malia: Although Warui's ability offers us a lot of utility...

Malia: I only see it being useful for covert operations.

Malia: Similar to those operatives.

Commander Mercer: Tiria has no need to do such things.

Commander Mercer: I won't be allowed to authorize operations like that for a while anyway.

Commander Mercer: Were other people able to wield Warui's sword?

Malia: Yeah, but it still had an effect on Warui.

Malia: And I haven't been able to understand its composition.

Malia: [Lifts what looks to be a small, dark red chunk of metal in her hand]. This fragment of Warui's blade looks exactly like the high-carbon steel the military uses for all our cutlasses and other blades.

Commander Mercer: [Looks at the fragment in Malia's hand]. Isn't it supposed to look livelier?

Malia: Warui chipped this off his blade and handed it to me before the recon squad departed.

Malia: The blade also has nerves.

Malia: Not just vascular structures.

Malia: So it really must be lively.

Malia: ... This fragment was a whole lot bigger when Warui gave it to me.

Malia: It's been slowly decaying into what looks like mineral-organic material, losing its living properties, and now just looks like a chunk of steel.

Commander Mercer: And what happened to Warui's blade?

Commander Mercer: Does it appear fractured now that you have this fragment of it?

Malia: It regenerated itself...

Soldier: Commander Mercer!

Commander Mercer and Malia: Stop walking and look back at the soldier.

Soldier: Commander Garrick Vance crossed the Eastern checkpoint just moments ago.

Malia: What?!

Commander Mercer: With how many?

Soldier: Five other riders, sir.

Commander Mercer: Take us to him.

Soldier: Yes, sir!

Malia: Commander, you must have me mistaken for Captain Zay.

Commander Mercer: [Follows the soldier]. No, Malia.

Commander Mercer: You're coming with.

Malia: Watches Commander Mercer walk away for a moment before finally going to catch up.

Ten minutes later

Commander Mercer and Malia: Stand in the street facing six men on horses.

Commander Mercer: Garrick.

Commander Vance: Mercer.

Commander Mercer: ...Has Avelorn been recovering?

Commander Vance: Surprisingly well.

Commander Vance: You still dealt us quite the blow.

Commander Mercer: ...

Commander Vance: I came to pass along information.

Commander Mercer: Looks at Commander Vance with curiosity.

Commander Mercer: Let us get out of the street, then.

Callineth

Warui, Khyrie, and Kiel: Walk alongside each other.

Khyrie: You and Chena have been a little off.

Warui: It's a lot to take in.

Khyrie: We all understand.

Kiel: We just had to make sure Micah didn't wonder why you guys look at some of the buildings the way you two do.

Warui: I'll let Chena know.

Warui: The mission is more important.

Kiel: Accidentally bumps into an old man feeding loose chickens.

Kiel: Please forgive me, sir.

Old Man: Don't worry about it, kid.

Old Man: That shoulder of yours is rock solid, by the way.

Kiel: Haha, thanks.

Warui, Khyrie, and Kiel: ...

Warui: You think it'll be fine if I don't manifest the blade for a few days?

Kiel: I doubt you'll lose any progress.

Kiel: If anything, you need a break after all the training you did.

Warui: You guys were really helpful with training.

Warui: Almost everything you suggested just...

Warui: ...Worked.

Khyrie: [Chuckles]. Malia made a lot of observations and threw out good ideas too.

Warui: Yeah, but you guys helped the most with the combat side of things.

Warui, Khyrie, and Kiel: See Chena at a fence post.

Kiel: We'll head to the cabin they're letting us stay in.

Kiel: You and Chena can take your time.

Warui: Nods as Khyrie and Kiel walk away, then he heads over to Chena.

Warui: Steps beside Chena and leans on the fence.

Chena: Leans forward on the fence beside Warui.

Warui: The moonlight is bright tonight.

Warui: I was able to see you from all the way there.

Chena: [Low]. There's a lot of stars too.

Warui: The squad is in the cabin already.

Chena: ...

Chena: [Low]. Back then...

Chena: [Low]. I used to think we had so much time...

Warui: ...

Warui: Even though I was always running around trying to get to places quickly...

Warui: ...I thought the same thing.

Chena: [Looks down at the fence post]. I shouldn't have taken it for granted.

Warui: [Low]. Chena.

Chena: Looking at what's left of your house-

Warui: [Low]. Hey.

Chena: ...

Warui: We-

Warui: [Looks down at the fence post]. We were just kids...

Warui: [Low]. Don't blame yourself.

Warui: [Low]. I might start doing it too if you do...

Chena: [Low]. Mm...

Chena: [Low]. I miss...

Chena: [Low]. Yelling "Auntie" all the time.

Warui: [Smiles lightly, then the smile fades]. You know, I was never actually annoyed when it sounded like I was.

Chena: [Softly]. You admit it like it's something none of us knew back then.

Warui: Lets out a slight laugh.

Chena: [Looks up at the sky]. Maybe our parents are watching us.

Warui: Follows Chena's gaze at the sky.

Chena: ...Happy we're keeping our promise.

Warui: Looks at Chena briefly with a bit of surprise, then looks back at the sky.

Warui: [Low]. Mhm.