Deep beneath the empire was a maximum-security prison cell that stretched a mile long. There were countless negative flux emitters within the space, including shocking negative flux spikes that littered the entire floor. In the middle of the large space was a large hovering chunk of earth, held up by gravity roots from the floating mountains of Bonsku. In the center of that floating landmass, was a steel cage also infused with intense negative flux force. It was where they kept the most dangerous criminal ever to grace the land of Asceria, Plague.
Scientist and soldiers ran around frantically as a red light flashed in the corner from an alarm that was blaring loudly. There were many dead people on the floor when they had arrived, but that wasn’t their cause for concern. It was much worse.
“This isn’t good! By God, this isn’t good at all!”
“Someone’s got to tell the emperor, hurry!”
The cage that contained Plague, was torn open…
***
Wind wove between the small blades of grass along the floor, causing them to gently sway in the direction of the two standing within the expansive park. Lamps located all over the place turned on automatically as the sky was beginning to darken, though heavy clouds from the burning homes far off added to it. Perched on a tree was an owl. It was a still as the stars forming within the sky. From a small decorative spout within the shallow pond, water shot out into multiple streams, forming an elegant design before splashing down. Nibbling on a small yellow flower, a mouse scurried across the field, but sharp fangs snatched it from the floor, as the owl flew high into the smokey clouds above.
Rai’s hair, wet with sweat and blood, swayed slightly as a gust of wind brushed past him. His gaze unwavering, remained glued on the vanguard before him.
“I was just about to head home too…” Weevil said with a sigh.
“Well, you’re about to get a serious detour,” Rai said. “I’m not letting you walk away after what you’ve done.”
“Well alright then,” Weevil said, patting her hand free of the breadcrumbs. Turning, her eyes locked onto Rai’s, “I guess I have a little time to play with you,” she smirked, and the ground quickly shook.
Jumping back a worm burst out, almost consuming him. Suddenly, from all over the park worms split through the ground, some small and thin, about Rai’s height, while others were much bigger.
“I thought special class Links could only bond with one creature of flux…” Rai said.
“That is correct,” Weevil said. “These are the children with whom I’ve bonded with. They’ve taken a liking to me, as have I to them,” she stated, petting a worm maybe twice the width of her arm that was nearly inches from her face; light green slime drooled from its mouth.
Rai recalled a time speaking Marco.
“Special Class links can’t utilize flux in the same way Abminus do. Instead, we pull our abilities from the creature we’ve bonded with. If the creature spits fire, depending on how its utilized, their bonded master may have some sort of way to use it as well. Take Shiki for example,” Marco said, placing his hands on Shiki who was about his height at the moment. “Shiki can phase through things like that of a ghost.” After stating this, she became nearly invisible as the edges of her nearly transparent body outlined her location. “However, since we are bonded, when I come in contact with her, after applying a little bit of flux,” suddenly Marco too became transparent, his bodies outline only barely visible as well. “This is why special class Links are always strongest when they and the creature they’ve bonded with are together, and also why we must have our partners summoned to the outside world rather than lying dormant within our core when in battle.”
All the bodies of the worms slightly bent their bodies, now gazing directly at Rai, except the one beside Weevil, which was still looking directly at her.
“Beautiful, are they not?” she said, gracing her fingers along the mouth of the smaller worm while tracing it in a full circle, slipping through the slime even. “Future number one elite you say?” Weevil pulled her arm back before slowly pressing it into the mouth of the worm.
Swishing from the slime and guts within the worm echoed in Rai’s ear. “What the hell is she doing?” Rai said, slightly disturbed.
Once Weevil’s entire arm was in the worm she yanked upward, ripping the worm apart, as the rest of it fell limp. “I wonder,” she held the worm wrapped around her arms outward, pointing directly at Rai, “if you can you back up such a claim,” and green acid burst forth!
Rai lunged out of the way as the slime slapped over a lamp, dissolving the top half immediately. “You bet I can!” he said running at her, but then a worm burst through the floor smacking him away. “Crap, they’re a lot faster than before!?” He landed further away, noticing that each of the worms had a stronger flow of flux in them, similar to the one glowing around Weevil. “It’s because of her,” he said, seeing her sly smile. Rushing forward, he smashed through a worm, then three more appeared. One crushed down, but Rai side-stepped it, twirling a kick and obliterating the hard body as another lunged from his side. He held his guard, blocking the attack that dragged him a couple feet away. One ripped through the ground beneath him, quickly wrapping his legs while making its way towards his torso, but Rai was able to fire ikken bullet’s before it could, and the worm unraveled. Rushing forward he lunged off the head of a worm just as a larger one burst through the ground to swallow him, “Ikken!” he shouted and the flux blast twirled within the air, exploding in the stomach of the worm and sending its flesh in multiple directions.
“In front of you,” Weevil said.
Gazing up, Weevil was in the air before him. Swinging a kick, Rai was sent soaring to the ground. Right before smacking into the floor, he slapped the palm of his hands down, back flipping while another worm ripped through the earth to eat him, but from inside of its mouth Weevil emerged! A punch missed his face, but her knee landed directly in his stomach, causing him to spit up blood. Rai retreated, but Weevil was there in front of him, anticipating his every move while swinging again and again.
“Future number one? Maybe more around the nine or ten range if you ask me,” she said as another worm emerged. Gripping its mouth, she tore it out of the ground and slung it forward where it wrapped around Rai. Thrusting up, she hoisted Rai into the air before sending it crashing back down where the shell shattered as they smacked the ground heavily.
“Gah!” as she lunged and smashed for fist in, Rai rolled away. “This entire fight has been a forward push on her end!” he said, flipping to his feet. He ducked, swinging his feet across the floor but another worm slightly emerged from the ground, blocking it. Glancing around, Rai noticed worms slowly surrounding him. “I need to move to another spot fast.” As he said this, the earth erupted and a large worm started to encircle them both, preventing him from simply running away. Rai continued to duck and block hits, occasionally tripping over small heads that popped out of the ground. Bit by bit, the large worm was slowly tightening the circle around him! A small worm burst through the ground under the foot of Weevil, sending her into the sky where she flipped forward to deliver a crushing kick downward. At this point the circle, along with the other worms within it, didn’t leave him much wiggle room, but as the worm she launched off bent over, Rai lunged for forward, slapping his hands along its body and twirling around it like a gymnast would on a bar before flinging himself backwards where he dodged the kick which left a crater in the floor and escaped the tightening circle. Landing on top of the giant worm, which was ever moving, he fired a few ikken bullets, but another worm emerged to take the shots. Weevil had a light twisted smile from behind the crippling worm as she rushed forward, jumping out of the circle herself. Landing on the giant worm, she rushed him. They exchanged blows, but then the worm rose up, flinging Rai off high into the air, however Weevil had her hand dug into the shell of the creature, so she didn’t fall.
“Try some,” she said, tearing a chunk of the creature and tossing it at Rai in the air, pelting him across the head before she lunged off the worm, appearing in front of him and crushing her fist into his stomach as he was sent soaring to the ground. On the floor, she twisted her body, swinging her arm with the worm shell toward him and it smacked into Rai with a bone crackling thud! However, he had let it smash into him, wrapping his arms around the hard shell. He wanted to make sure Weevil had no means of pulling away.
Blood seeping from his mouth, “Gotcha.”
“Not quite,” Weevil said with a chuckle as she slipped her arm out of the creature, and as she was about to land on the grassy field, another worm burst through the floor, quickly enveloping her arm as she ripped its body from the ground, and once again had the shelled arm.
Hands intertwined, Rai raced by the worms which acted like pillars in the ground, making him lose sight of Weevil who was standing at the center with a slight smile. A giant bug burst from the earth and Rai jumped over it, now running along the top of it before jumping off. Swerving the occasional one that attacked him, he ran directly for her, but three appeared from below to protect her. Rai swiftly fired ikken bullets, tearing through each one as he launched off the ground, closing the distance.
Weevil smiled placing her armored arm at a downward angle where another worm burst through the ground, its mouth attaching to the end of the torn worm she wore. Thrusting her arm forward, the other worm was yanked from the earth, doubling the length of her attack as she smacked Rai away.
“Damn it,” he said, but then a looming shadow over head appeared. It was one of the larger house consuming worms. His eyes widened, “Ikken!” he shouted, and the blast propelled him away as the acid splurged from its mouth like a waterfall. Landing on the ground, he wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Phew…” His foot was in the acid, but it didn’t dissolve. “Since these are creatures of flux, having up a strong enough flux guard can deter the effects, but it still takes a lot to do so.” The worms retreated into the ground before popping up around Rai. One shot acid at him but he ducked it, quickly he ran as all the worms were now spitting the same substance from their mouths. Ahead he gripped the head of one worming, tearing it out of the earth as he pushed forward and swung it, smashing its shell into four others which caused them all to burst apart. Darting away, with a kick, he smashed the head of another before quickly retreating to find an open space within the park where the worms weren’t so cluttered. “Fine, long distance it is,” he said, unable to get near Weevil. He closed an eye, aiming to shoot ikken bullets from afar.
Weevil bent over, vomiting the green liquid in front of her until a large puddle formed. Jumping in the puddle she disappeared just as ikken bullets flew by. Reappearing from another green puddle of acid near Rai, she swung her armored arm forward, causing the lengthy double worm contraption to slip off, rapidly swinging in the air before colliding heavily with Rai’s gut, propelling him back into a tree that shattered when he came in contact with it. “You’ll have to do better than that,” Weevil said, slapping her hand on the ground as she pulled herself from the puddle, standing upright.
“Yeah… I probably bit off a bit more than I could chew jumping into this without Plu.” Rai said, steadily hoisting himself from the shattered tree. As he rose, he breathed heavily, saying, “She’s a lot tougher than she looks… Guess that’s what a member of the first battalion is like. Even so…” Rai gazed at his hand, before curling it into a fist. “If I aim to be the number one elite, to be the strongest, then I have to win!” He grabbed a stick, rushing forward.
Weevil stretched her arms out to her sides, “Swarm,” she said, slapping her hands together in front of her. Behind her many of the worms had already burrowed into the earth, now emerging beneath the floor before her. Their bodes intertwined with one another, both big and small. The small ones, if not twisting around each other, would merge into the larger, and the larger compacted into each other like putty as they rushed towards Rai like a tsunami.
Though Rai faced with an impossible wave of worms, he pressed on, placing the stick in his mouth while holding his hands out. “Ikken!” the blast smashed into the worms, but there were so many it didn’t do much. “Ikken! Ikken!” he shouted, sending one large blast after another as he raced straight to the mass of mouths looking to wash over him. Dust and blood enveloped the area slowly. With a furious look, he slung his arms back behind his head before thrusting them forward. “Ikken!”
A huge explosion emerged, causing guts and dirt to puff out everywhere.
Weevil stood within it, waiting for the outcome, or enemy. That’s when a small shadow flew by her left, causing her to glance in that direction, but as it sped past, she was able to catch a glimpse. A stick? Then, before she knew it, Rai appeared in front of her.
Digging his feet into the earth, he twisted as he pushed heavily off the floor, thrusting his fist upward and crushing his it under the chin of Weevil.
“Er…” Weevil was sent flying high through the smokey clouds, where she eventually ended up above them, however, the moment she could see clear sky, Rai was also waiting above with his arms outstretched.
“Ikken!” he shouted, and a blast erupted, smashing into her and propelling her directly into the floor; the impact sent ripples through the pond nearby.
As Rai landed, he curled over to his knees, coughing blood onto the floor. His core cracked from that barrage of ikken’s. Thankfully Hanabi had mostly repaired it, otherwise he may not have made it this far.
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Looking directly behind him, many of the soldiers were watching from afar, and above, there seemed to be a lu-cam. “Can’t let them see a downed hero, can I now?” he smirked, and so he steadily rose.
“Look at the apprentice!” someone shouted from the hologram within the safe zone beneath the empire.
“He’s taking on a vanguard of the first battalion all by himself!”
“Rai,” Grace said, clasping her hands together right beneath her chin with a look of worry on her face.
The soldiers behind Rai, just outside the med-pod facility, thrusted their swords into the air. By now all the vanguard were defeated and the other elites were on their way.
The ground shook heavier than ever before and from the shadows weevil appeared. “Haha! That was quite the attack,” Weevil said, appearing only slightly scathed.
“Man… I hit her point-blank too,” Rai said, gritting his teeth.
“You infused the stick with flux, making me believe it was you that flew by earlier,” Weevil said, clapping her hands together twice. “Well done. Very innovative.”
“You pick up a couple skills when you’re raised in the slums,” Rai said, his legs still trembling from the constant vibrations of the earth beneath them.
She came to a halt, staring in the direction of the smoke. “It would seem the vanguard have all been defeated.” Gazing back at Rai, “It’s been fun, but play time is over.” A colossal worm emerged from behind her, tripling the size of the home consuming worms.
“No way…” Rai said, quickly retreating further towards the end of the park until he was standing amongst the streets. It body hidden by an uprising cloud of dirt, resembled a towering giant.
“This here is Setz,” Weevil said. “She’s not too happy with all the siblings you’ve killed. Out of the family, she’s one of the older members.”
Rai wore a look of fear and shock. Clenching his fists, he thought, there’s more of these?!
“But perhaps if we kill some siblings in return, she’ll be a little more at ease,” Weevil said, gazing over Rai’s head at the med-pod facility.
Rai’s eyes shot open, “Taka!” he said, turning around and retreating down the wide streets.
“Huh?” Weevil glanced with a look of confusion before coming to an obvious conclusion. “I see… You’ve got a sibling in there as well. Haha! You couldn’t write this any better,” Weevil said with a wide smile. “Future number one elite! Let’s see if you can live up to that dream!”
“Run! Get out of here, hurry!” he shouted at the guards. Stopping halfway up the street, he turned around, stretching his arms out and intertwining his hands once more. Weevil was pretty far from him now; he had time to figure things out; or at least he hoped it did.
Weevil lifted her forearm with one finger pointing up, before flinging the finger toward the facility, “Crush them.”
The worm looped over Weevil before crashing into the ground, barreling towards the facility. Anything and everything in its path were obliterated as it proceeded towards the facility.
Legs shaking from the rumbling of the beast, Rai shouted, “Ikken!” It burst forth, eventually flying into the towering mouth of the worm, but it didn’t do a single thing as it disappeared into its belly. A look of urgency flashing across his face, “Ikken! Ikken!” Both blasts disappeared into the stomach of the creature as blood splashed from within it, but it wasn’t slowing down in the slightest. Fear in his eyes, Rai gazed back at the facility. “No… I’m not going to be able to stop it!” He faced forward again, the worm still pushing through fast as his arms dropped to his waste, and his breathing started to pick up rapidly as he panicked. “Taka… I’ve got to protect Taka!” Gritting his teeth, he looked up, “Ikken! Ikken! Ikken!” his core cracked, and he fell to a knee, twitching in intense pain as the blasts once again made contact, blasting chunks off of it, but it didn’t slow the worm’s approach.
From within the safe zone Becca shouted, “Rai get out of there!”
“What’s he thinking?!” Suki said beside her.
“He can’t…”
They both turned, “Hanabi?!”
“What do you mean he can’t?” Suki said.
Hanabi, though still recovering, looked up with teary eyes, “Because his sister’s there.”
“And because, he’s a hero,” Grace said, also tearing up.
The housing on the sides of the street were pressed outward, crushed by the worm as it quickly approached.
Head hung low, Rai muttered, “Not again… I couldn’t protect my sister when she needed me most... I couldn’t protect the old man… Not even her husband. Time and time again, I feel like I’m letting people down…” Slowly rising with legs and arms shaking, he stood back up while struggling to stretch his arms out in front of him. “I’m tired of letting people down…” Flux gathered around Rai, swirling and uplifting small rocks on the floor. “No more…” Lifting his head, he screamed, “I WON’T LET YOU HAVE TAKA!” Arms stretched out, he roared, “IKKEN!” A blast erupted out while swirling air and flux expanded the width of the street in a catalytic explosion that hurdled forward, completely uprooting the ground on its way to the worm. As it came in contact, the worm didn’t just blow apart, the attack erased it, ripping through and incinerating every part of the worm down the center while the sides burst outward, until the ikken faded at the very tail end of the creature.
“He… He did it!” the soldiers shouted.
“How could one boy produce so much power?!” Weevil said, mouth cracked open in shock as she caught Rai’s intense glare.
Rai fell to his knees, breathing heavily. “I did it…”
In the distance, Weevil caught view of the giant white snake Shiki racing in their direction with Marco riding atop its head. “Perhaps you will climb to the top of the elites after all… Unfortunately for you, that gives me all the more reason to kill you here and now.” Suddenly, two of the same worms emerged. “Farewell, boy,” Weevil said, and the worms tore through the park on their way over to him.
“No…” Rai said, but then someone stood beside him. “Gaius?” His arms were crossed, and his eyes were closed as light crackled around him.
Not paying Rai any heed, Gaius said, “You’ve interrupted the day of my ascension, and attacked those under the banner of the empire.”
“This feeling…” Weevil said, taking a step back.
As Gaius opened his eyes, they shun in a furious bright yellow, “Perish!” From below a beam erupted the width of the entire park, engulfing both the worms as it rose high into the sky like a god had descended from the sun itself. The light from the attack shone throughout the entire Kingdom of Aurahelm, casting shadows all over as many citizens gazed in awe. Although night had arrived, everything was illuminated, until at last the beam subsided.
“Gaius…” Rai said in utter disbelief.
“Spineless worm,” Gaius said, turning to leave.
Marco, arriving at the scene, which was a scorched black landscape, noticed a hole in which Weevil had likely escaped into. “She got away…” he muttered.
Arriving on Shiki before Rai, after she shrunk down, he said, “So, is it over?”
“It is,” Marco said.
“That’s… good,” Rai said, collapsing.
Gazing at Rai, then at Gaius who was walking away, he closed his eyes, before opening them and gazing at the stars with a smile, “The rankings within the elites might be changing sooner than we expected, Han…”
***
The following day, the apprentices appeared before the emperor.
General Kur and some elites were also present.
“I am aware you wanted to protect your cousin, it is a noble thing, however, your actions have caused the deaths of countless civilians,” Emperor Adonis said with a look of displeasure.
“I understand…” Kenji said, gazing down.
“The death penalty,” a voice of one of the advisors hidden by purple curtains spoke; it was directly behind the throne in which the emperor sat.
“Death is the only way to atone,” the other advisor said.
“Death?” Ayame said, holding her hand to her chin.
“That’s not right!” Lily said.
“Kenji helped us in our fight against Stella!” Alan said.
“Hold your tongue,” General Kur said, causing Lily and Alan to take a step back.
“You all disobeyed direct orders, all but Kiku,” Han stated firmly.
Kiku was in line as well, but sleeping...
“I understand the complications of wanting to protect others, but your noncompliance cannot simply be looked over,” Emperor Adonis said. “You did great in the battle against the vanguard. You are the future of the elites, and the idols many look up too, but before any of that, you are an apprentice sworn under the law of the empire and as such, must abide by it. Do you understand this?” Emperor Adonis said.
“Yes,” they said, tilting their head down.
Sighing, “With that said, I do also believe the death penalty to be a bit much for someone of your age,” Emperor Adonis said.
“But your majesty—” an advisor spoke.
The emperor held up a hand, silencing the two advisors. “However, punishment of some sort must be delivered. To start, you will be immediately stripped of your status as an apprentice, disqualifying you from ever becoming an elite.”
Kenji’s eyes shot open, though he was still gazing at the floor. His family has always been amongst the elites… His fists shook slightly. “Understood…”
“Second, you’re to join the police force under Tux, where you will spend the rest of your life serving the people of the empire and its surrounding kingdoms.” Turning his gaze, to the other apprentices, “As for the rest of you, points will be deducted from each of your halls for your disregard of the laws and your superiors.”
“You’re dismissed,” General Kur said.
With a slight bow, they all exited the building.
“What of the roots?” Emperor Adonis said, slouching further into his seat.
“Unfortunately, nearly half of them were taken in the raid. While the vanguard was busy causing havoc, someone slipped into Rooty Roots tech facility and snatched them right under our noses,” Han said.
“With those roots, they could raise a much more dangerous army than before,” Marco said.
“We’ll have to double down on our efforts of locating their base then,” Emperor Adonis said. “And our defenses?”
“Otto’s delivered the message to Shen in regard to upgrading all of them,” Eloise said. “Shen’s offered to upgrade them free of charge. He’s taken full responsibility for someone being able to bypass his security in the first place.”
“That saves us a hefty portion of funds. We can push it into the city then for repairs,” Emperor Adonis said. “Still… we have quite the problem on our hands,” the emperor said, placing a hand to his head, as if he had a headache. “Have you contacted Doma?”
“He’s still on another adventure, though I’m sure news will spread quickly to him about what happened here. He will likely head back as soon as it does,” General Kur said.
“In times like these, we really need the number one elite around,” Emperor Adonis sighed. “After all, the empire’s greatest threat has once again been let loose into the world.”
“They themselves can’t possibly gain from freeing Plague,” Eloise said. “That unrestrained monster is more likely to destroy the vanguard before they ever get the chance to convince him otherwise to join it.”
“Perhaps that is the only good thing that will come of it,” Han said.
A couple weeks later
Within Crumbly Cattaneos, Rai blurted, “WHAT?!” Everyone in the restaurant glanced at him from the sudden outburst, so he stooped his head.
“Mhm,” Lily said with a nod.
“I can’t believe Gaius dropped out of the apprenticeship program…” Rai said.
“By default, that make you the winner of the placement exam,” Hanabi said smiling.
“Now if any elites drop out, or… well you know. You’ll automatically get pushed into the ranks of the elites!” Alan said.
“Hmm… I mean that’s great and all, but I didn’t want it by forfeit,” Rai said stuffing his mouth with pasta.
“Take what you can get!” Eiji uttered, his face smeared in pasta sauce. Licking the bowl clean he said, “Another!” and another large bowl was brought to him.
“Enjoy,” Regano said happily.
“That’s already your seventeenth bowl, are you sure you can afford all that?” Alan said.
“Psh,” Eiji said, mouth full of food. “Afford,” he brushed the idea away, digging into the bowl.
“Since he saved Tamarri’s family and the customers here during the vanguards invasion, they promised him all the food he can eat, for life…”
“That’s right, and what’s more!” Eiji said, spinning the cup he drank from. “They’ve promised to sponsor Plu’s legion!” The cup had the design of Plu’s legion on it. “You here that Manty, you’re going to be famous.”
Eiji’s mantical had its head sticking in from a window of the restaurant, happily snorting air from its nose. The rest of its large body was outside the restaurant where its little tail wagged joyfully. Beside it was a large basket of watermelons.
“Here Manty,” a little kid with their sibling said, holding up the fruit together.
Manty gulped it down in one go, then with his large tongue licked the children who giggled as a result.
“He’s not the only one I hear,” Tamarri said, dropping another bowl next to Eiji.
Mouth full, Eiji muttered, “henk you…” before slurping up the pasta hanging out his mouth. “Yeah, didn’t Haruki depart recently?”
“That’s right. He said he’s going home,” Lily said, recalling their last conversation.
“It was an honor being within the same hall as you,” Haruki said, sitting in a wagon which had horses at the front.
“Likewise,” Lily said. “It’s a shame you won’t be able to live out your dream hunting in woods like you wanted.”
“The thing about dreams, there can always be another,” he said, gazing off into the distance. I’ll be okay.” Glancing at Lily, “I look forward to seeing the day you rise into the ranks of the elites. Farewell Lily.” With a wave of his hand, the rider at the reigns nodded, and they took off.
Eiji sneakily hunched over, crossing off the name Haruki on a small sheet of paper with the title labeled ‘Threats’. It also had a sketch of a heart and a terrible drawing of Lily and him. Rai’s name was crossed off already, as was ‘Pizza Delivery Guy’.
“What’s that?” Lily asked.
“Nothing,” Eiji shot up, crumbling the paper, causing Lily to squint her eyes in suspicion.
“By the way, I happened to be walking by a store and look what I came across,” Hanabi said to Rai. “I got it for you,” she said, pulling out a hoopah doll.
“A freakin hoopah doll?!” Rai said, snatching it away from her. This one had a withered white robe and a stuffed lengthy beard with a halo over its head. The sharp stuffed teeth were orange, and it was winking. “Now I’ve got eight!” Gazing at Hanabi, “Thank you,” he said, tears flowing from his eyes.
“Haha, this way Plu!” Yuta came running into the restaurant with an ice cream.
“Plu.” Behind him, Plu wobbled in, carry a quadruple stacked strawberry ice cream on top of a sugar cone that almost toppled over.
Laughing Yuta’s ice cream slipped from his sugar cone, splatting on the floor. Saddened he looked down at it before considering asking Plu for some, however looking up, Plu who was unwilling to share had already turned to leave, exiting the restaurant.
Walking in as Plu left was Aegis, who also had an ice cream. “Here,” he said, giving it to Yuta who smiled.
“Aegis,” Rai and company waved at him.
“Hey guys,” he said, standing by the table.
“Thanks for watching Plu for me. I really needed a break from the little guy,” Rai said. “Especially since we’ll be on a pretty long mission together.”
“Yuta enjoys having Plu around, so I’m happy too,” Aegis said.
“Ri Ri, when exactly does your mission start?” Hanabi said.
“Tomorrow, I believe,” Rai said, taking out his badge. After gazing at when his mission would be he shouted, “YESTERDAY!?” Quickly getting up, he snatched his coat hanging on the wall, “Gotta go!”
Smiling, they all shook their head as he darted off.
***
Journal Entry:
It's been one heck of a ride. From the slums, to joining the apprenticeship. Infiltrating the Furies... Then going all whaco in the brain and forgetting everyone. Meeting Lily, then Eiji within Kalumi, along with learning ikken. Crazy ghouls... Ugh, I hate those things. Then the placement exam, just to be met with the stupid Vanguard. But now here I am, strolling the lands outside Aurahelm with my buddy Plu.
I wonder what journeys await me next...
Rai was at the reins of a horse-drawn wagon with Plu sitting beside him. Between them was a plate of Lumi Lumi’s Grace had baked for him to take along the journey. The sky was a bright blue with soft clouds high above as they traveled down a dirt road with expansive grasslands stretching from either side.
“Looks like it’s just you and me again pal,” Rai said.
“Plu,” Plu said.
“Yeah, it does bring me back. This is sort of how we met after all.”
“Plu.” Rising to its feet, Plu glanced down at the plate of wrapped cookies.
“You want one? Go right ahead buddy.”
Hunched over, Plu gripped the plate, “Plu,” it said, sliding it off the carriage where it shattered.
“PLU! What the hell—?!” the horses, started by Rai’s sudden shouting, took off, causing him to flip backwards, hurdling off the wagon where he landed with a heavy thud on the dirt floor next to a couple of apples that were tossed as well. “Ow…” Glancing up, he noticed the wagon pulling further away. “H-Hey! Wait up!” he shouted running after the wagon.
“Plu!” the little stuffed sheep said, happily waving its arms in the air.
"LUMI LUMI, A TREAT FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD."