Fragrant air filled her lungs.
The bustling sound of movement and the clinking of coin satchels played as the city’s thick ambience. A short-walled compound surrounded them and joined with the thicker walls that protected the city from the outskirts.
Unarmed personnel dressed in bright-red clothing made their rounds along this beautiful area. This place was the public reception where certain groups were given access, such as the Scarlet Logic Collection Teams and their collected individuals, as well as recognized Incandescent Colors.
Access was strictly limited. It was also interesting to note that this place was not technically part of the city itself. It was more of a boundary, and it reminded her of how certain esteemed places on Earth had limited sections opened to the public.
All under the promise of immense scrutiny and unparalleled security, of course.
Citizens of Diamond City approached them with open arms, offering splendid goods. Their attires piqued Frost’s interest. They were somewhat casual, but punctual, wearing fabulous dresses, suits and coats made of fur about a quarter the fluffiness of Snap’s.
In short, their wear was on an entirely different level compared to the high society below in Diamond Square.
That being said, the Scarlet Logic forces escorted them towards a pair of golden, diamond-shaped gates.
This was the main entrance to the city, sprinkled with dazzling floating orbs which lit up the world. These little things moved like slow fireflies and hovered around the city’s heights like artificial stars.
Dozens of level 100 Golden Index personnel guarded the entrance with nothing but their bare fists, dressed in razor sharp, red suits with a rather… particular black logo on their back.
City Defenders
< The Golden Middle >
Soul Rank: Black | Atelier: Golden Index
LEVEL : 100 ORIGIN : X
HP : 2,500
ATT : 700 MAG ATT : 700 ATT DEF : 1,750 MAG DEF : 1,500
MP : 1,000
RESIST : 30 AGI : 35
Indeed. The very symbol of a middle finger was proudly adorned on their backs. It didn’t seem like the middle finger was considered vile or offensive in this world, interestingly enough. No. It was much worse.
Instead, it meant a declaration of imminent harm or the intent to murder as Nav promptly explained. These City Defenders were but one facet of the Golden Middle, who served as the Golden Index’s paramilitary force.
people of vastly different races were chosen for this role, although Orcs and certain Insectids made the overwhelming majority of them, such as ant-like people.
These ant-people boasted two antennae and a second pair of arms. And to no one’s surprise they were capable of carrying up to 10 times their weight. Still, 10 times the weight was cute in comparison to a Moon, let alone someone of Frost’s caliber.
That reminds me. The Orcs here aren’t like the ones I had in mind.
“The ones that capture women and –?”
Stop! Y-Yeah – yeah. Those ones.
Frost did not need to hear Nav recite the gritty and downright disgusting depiction of Orcs that Earth had of them.
They’re kind of civil now that I have a closer look. Lots of bulging muscles. Built like a damned Adonis. Why couldn’t I have ‘that’ kind of body instead of this?
“I can say the exactly same thing. Oh wait – I don’t have a body to begin with.” Nav, despite its cold, monotone voice somehow managed to convey its cheekiness.
Alright, point taken.
“Returning to the Orcs – they’re an honorable race at heart. They don’t tend to fight those that can’t fight back, but do not take my word for it. Orcs are about as thirsty for battle than you are for a meal.”
Sorry, but hunger and the impulsion to smack someone in the face are two completely different things. You can’t call that a biological need. But then again… I’m not sure if mine’s biological anymore.
Frost shook her head slightly and quickly surrendered this thought.
They were soon replaced with the faces a certain mother, her daughter, a hot-headed fire mage and a battle axe woman. Their travels had finally come to an end. Likewise, this was where the Scarlet Logic parted ways.
Cara, Usa and Fran arrived at an abrupt stop just meters away from the main entrance. Countless eyes befell them as Cara’s team swung themselves around on their heels and straightened themselves with perfect unison.
“Frost. Jury. Everyone. This is where we say goodbye. Our intercity train will be shortly departing, so we’ll make our final statements quick.” Cara then suddenly announced, still wearing an imperviously stoic face as Usa’s ears jolted upright.
“I worked hard the last two days for this moment! Because I believe we were blessed to have such capable people aboard our mission, however short lived it was! Archetype. Deity. Dove… I’ll make sure your name goes around! Beholder Marduk will know of your name! In about a few months.” Usa then broke into a goofy smile as she rapidly spoke the last few words.
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“Likewise. Thank you for your help.” Fran spoke with simplicity, excusing himself alongside the other personnel who each gave a unanimous thanks before following in his footstep.
They moved to a grand multistoried structure that connected the city with this compound. Within, a one-way train straight to the City of Spades awaited. The stronghold of Scarlet Logic.
This building saw little traffic and its sheer scale seemed wasted to be an ill-used train station. But Frost never assumed that its design was accidental or a miscalculation.
“Alright. Everyone. I know I never got to know all your names… er, since you all don’t have one to begin with, but I’m happy that you all didn’t turn out like me in the end! Half of these guys here still remember me, don’t you? Slightly shorter? Missing ears? A couple fingers sanded off?”
Usa sheepishly began, brushing her ears as a couple of the City Defenders nodded, fondly recognizing this bunny-woman.
“Of course you’d remember me~ Oh and Serum S girl –!” She took the hand of the cat-eared girl, shaking it enthusiastically before taking two precise steps back. Then, with a magnificent grin, she shouted: “Good luck! You’ve got hope on your side! Smile more! It’s good for business!”
“Good luck? A-ah-wait… thank you. Goodbye!”
“See ya!”
“Farewell!”
“Until next time bunny-Usaaaaa!”
The women cried, bidding their farewells as Usa gave one last wave. Frost, Jury and the others also pardoned her with goodbyes, leaving only Cara behind. The red-haired woman deeply sighed and clutched onto her bandaged arm.
“Our Captain’s a handful.” She slowly spoke, staring off at the running back of the woman with a side-long gaze. “I hope she can remain like that after the next dozen iterations. Ahem. Amalgam. Take care of them. The Golden Index will cherish them as their own. Like family.”
She then threw her fists down to her sides and stiffly erected herself before finally stating:
“Thank you for saving them. If it weren’t for you, then we all would’ve died, and I’d be sitting in the arena kicking myself over it.” Her words carried a powerful and literal meaning now that Frost understood the technology of the Scarlet Logic.
It painted a melancholic picture that caused her heart to ache as she gracefully approached Cara.
“Cara. Manager of the Dawn Collection Team. The next time we meet, I want to meet with you again. The 15th Cara. Can you promise me that?”
“The 15th me is hardly me. And I’m already breaking protocol by saying this out loud. But when you return to your rightful place up there in the celestial heavens, then I’ll count on you excusing me from whatever punishment’s waiting for me. I can’t guarantee I’ll still be me, but I’ll keep that in mind.” The woman broke into a wonderful smile, thawed of her permanently stoic face.
She departed soon after, leaving them in total silence until she disappeared into the archways of the building afar.
“It’s my turn to bid farewell. Farewell it is.” Furio simply said, moving to the entrance with a single hand raised above him. “And Amalgam. Deity of the Nexus. I’m thankful you acknowledged a little flame like me. Brandar’s been lacking a lot of color lately, so I hope you can keep on helping people.”
He spoke deeply, consumed by thought. He abruptly stopped at the top of the staircase and stared down at the grand masses below the city nights.
“Thank you for shouldering that battle alone. When I began, I wished to shoulder their burdens myself. As the strongest. But I realize I would have led everyone to their deaths if I had it my way.”
“You were a greedy guy. You wanted a free ride as well. Remember that? Don’t conveniently leave it out! That’s one hell of an inflated ego you have!” Anna exclaimed, moving up towards him as she similarly waved goodbye, right before standing beside him with a scolding look.
“I agree.” Furio simply said before finally departing.
This caused Frost to softly laugh as Anna stared at the man as if she had seen a ghost. The events seemed to have changed him in some way, perhaps for the better.
“You… admitted you were wrong? You? The same guy that nearly burnt down the entire town –!?”
“Shut up, and don’t fucking follow me woman!”
“Huh!? What other direction do you think I can go you red-haired prick!? If you hate me so much, then stop walking so slowly!”
Despite how it appeared, these two somehow got along. Frost vividly recalled their beginnings. The fire in that town’s square. Their arguments which slowly over time became a proof of their comradery, and now, their simultaneous departure seemed like the perfect ending for the two.
She wondered if she’d ever get to see them again.
And finally, it was Alice and Hellen’s turn to depart.
“Hellen. You never really told us what you were doing in Grandis, did you?” Frost brought up as the two walked over at the front, hand-in-hand as Alice stared fondly at the group she had come to adore.
“The cat’s leapt out of the bag now, hasn’t it~ Hmm. Let’s say it had to do with me being the daughter of the late Green Composer; Mr. Haydn. Does his name ring a bell~? I was called with hopes of sharing some of my magic, but I’m unfortunately more attuned to be a Vocalist~” She hummed tantalizingly, her voice so sophisticated that Frost did not know if it was magic that caused her body to feel at ease or the sheer quality of her vocals.
“Something like a concert, huh?” Frost asked.
“Close. But we’ve been living in Grandis for some time now. So this is her first time in Brandar~” Hellen revealed, gently scrubbing the head of her dearest daughter.
“Ahh! Is that right? Hey Alice. How do you like it here?” Frost crouched over as she spoke to the little girl as softly as possible.
The girl rapidly nodded, her eyes still glittering with amazement. Every little sight was a treat to her.
“Mhm! It’s not scary here. I thought we were… in trouble all that time. But I did a good job in imagining them as something else!” Alice exclaimed as Frost placed a warm hand over her shoulder. “When things get scary, I like to imagine them all away!”
“That’s one way to deal with scary things.” Frost said. “You’re free spirited as ever now that we’re far away from Grandis.”
“This is the normal her~ But Grandis is a place unfit for children.” Hellen admitted.
“I’m sure you had your circumstances for staying there for so long. Alice. Let’s meet again, ok?”
“Mhm!” Alice firmly nodded.
“Oh, and do stop by H6 when you get the chance~ I have a store near the main strip!” Hellen clasped her hands together as Alice nodded again. “You too Jury~!”
“We definitely will, won’t we?” Frost glanced over at her lover with a small smile.
“Yeah!” Jury smiled, quickly noticing that Alice was staring at her a little too intently. “Yes? Alice? What’s wrong?” She pointed at her face, tilting her head slightly as she lowered herself to match the girl’s height.
“If Frost is the Black Dove, then you’re the White… White…” Alice tried to think of something to conclude with.
And then, she witnessed an optical illusion when the bunny-eared woman passed behind Jury.
“Rabbit! White Rabbit!”
“Me? A rabbit?” Jury looked over at herself, holding her tail in her arms in confusion. “… why a rabbit?”
“Because you’re interesting! You’re nothing like anything I’ve ever seen before! And we still don’t know what race you’re from! So – I want to be the first to find out!” Alice boldly proclaimed.
“Huh, that’s supposed to be my job.” Frost playfully argued before Alice suddenly fired back:
“But I like Jury too!”
A direct hit.
“A-Ah… Oi, Alice… you’re seriously not trying to pick a fight with me, are you?” Frost, while obviously joking, did feel a little stung.
“Yeah. Good. That’s a critical hit! Tell ‘em! Make Frost feel our pain.” Cer silently taunted.
“Our? Are you an idiot?” Res looked at her like she was no more than trash.
“I’m with Res on this one, sis. You’re getting weirder by the day.” Even Ber had to agree. “But you’re 0.8 seconds older, so maybe you got hit by an age-related disease.”
There were now two pieces of trash flanking Res. Although with these two; they may as well be the entire garbage bin.
At the same time, Ignis appeared out of nowhere and squeezed between Frost and Jury’s shoulders, glaring menacingly at Alice. The girl jolted back, afraid of those eyes as Hellen let loose of a motherly hum.
“Ignis says she senses a familiar pain. Alice likely lost her father as well.”
So she wasn’t angry. I see… but she managed to get all that how exactly?
“Intuition.”
What a convenient way of saying ‘I don’t know’.
“Mhm. Ignis~ You know it’s rude to stare. It’s ok Alice. She’s happy to see that you’re doing fine~” Hellen was completely unfazed by Ignis’. No, not only that, but she was somehow able to comprehend Ignis’ intentions.
Hellen was, first and foremost, a mother so perhaps that was the case? Frost didn’t know. Those motherly instincts could be a skill or ability for all she knew. But in the end, it caused her to break into a small laugh.
“Hellen. Alice. Until we meet again.” She bid her farewells.
“Goodbye Alice. Miss Hellen!” Jury yelled as the mother and daughter duo waved.
And then –
“GOODBYE ALICE!”
“HELEEEEN! I’LL MISS YOUR LULLABIES!”
“YOU WERE LIKE THE MOTHER I NEVER HAD!”
“I LOVE YOU HELLEN! I LOVE YOOOOU!”
“Goodbye… mmn. Goodbye, Alice.”
– A melodious choir of beloved goodbyes shook the air.
Frost could only imagine the magnitude of her own departure after hearing this.
It was enough to make a grown… woman tear up.
Until then, it was finally time to officially enter the City of Diamonds.