Underground town - afternoon

After the dancing ended, Brother and I left the banquet hall with some of the girls hanging around Zell. We stopped in a small bar that gives off a distinguished yet relaxing vibe to it. Brother is drinking with girls that are sitting next to and across from him. I know he can handle his alcohol, so I’m not worried about him. As for me, I can’t handle that stuff… It smells like shit.

“Zeal, are you okay?” brother asks, acting no different than usual.

“I’m fine…”

“If you’re uncomfortable with me drinking, just say so.”

“It’s fine brother, really.”

“If you say so. I just don’t want you to feel--”

“Brother, stop it!”

The girls start laughing. What’s so damn funny, huh!? I’d give them a piece of my mind, and believe me, I really wanna, but brother always taught me restraint with girls that aren't trying to kill you, so I won't give in to an outburst...

“Do people get you confused for the other?” one of the girls asks Zell.

“Not really. Zeal and I are easy to tell apart.”

“Like how?”

“Well…”

“Just use your eyes,” I grumble.

My brother’s hand whips the back of my head. The motion was so fluid and precise that none of the girls were able to see it.

While it doesn't look like it hurts all that much, it sure as hell does. The scary part is he's acting like he didn't just hit me.

“Are you okay?” The girl next to me spoke up; her voice is soft but not lacking in presence. Her name is Vetra, she's my escort. “...Did I say something wrong?”

“N-no… I just don’t want to look at you.”

“I see, then I am not to your standards?”

“No...you’re… Just forget about it!"

Gah, I can’t say it, it’s too awkward! It’s not like she’s ugly or anything, she has a nice figure that comes with a mesmerizing face. She also has this quiet yet serene vibe about her, even when she’s bothered by something.

“...So, Zeal, where do you and your brother come from?”

I cringe at the question. “Does that matter?”

“Of course, where you hail from is important to a person.”

“Well, not to me. There’s no point thinking about that stuff.”

“I see, then I shall stop asking.”

“Good.”

I still can’t face her. It’s not like I can’t look at girls, it’s just… Damn it, this is ridiculous!

“Are you shy around girls?”

“No!” I turn my head to her. She has a slight smile on her face, seeming amused. “...I ain’t embarrassed!"

“Then why do you refuse to look at me?”

“It’s just…”

“It’s okay, take your time. It will all be okay.”

“You don’t have to moth-- Damnit!”

“Moth?”

“Nothing, forget it…”

The dead air surrounding the two of us drowns out the noise coming from everyone else. There were girls in the Fire Wraiths that I had to talk to without breaking a sweat. But this woman is different.

“By the way,” Vetra says. “...your hair is quite messy. Let me fix it.”

“Hey, who said you can…”

Ignoring me, her hands touch my hair. They move around as she tries to fix it up. It feels nice, for some reason.

“You have a wonderful set of hair, you should take better care of it.” After a few seconds of sprucing it up, she finishes by patting me on the head. “...There, much better.”

A brief visage overlaps with her, shocking the very core of my being. Frustration quickly swells to its climax.

“Stop touching me!” I shoot up from my seat, boiling with anger. Everyone gives me a stupefied look except for my brother. “...I’m out of here.”

No destination in mind, I rush out of the small bar. Damnit, shit, son of a… Gah, I hate this, I hate this so damn much! Her face bothers me way too much. No, it’s not just her face, it’s the way she acts. The similarities are too damn close. Seeing her face is enough for me to picture her... This is ridiculous, I need to calm down, but that’s easier said than done.

I stop at a small bridge that’s above a stream of water. A sense of calm washes over me just looking at the water gently flowing downward. My reflection is crystal clear.

“She messed up my hair.”

Saying that, I can’t bring myself to fix it up, even though I hate this…

“Zeal.” Brother’s voice rings in my ears. He slowly approaches me. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“...That outburst.”

“I know, it was immature of me.”

“Yes, but I’m not here to scold you. I just want to know if you are okay.”

“I told you I’m fine.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk?”

“No, I don’t…”

I don’t want to saddle him with any unnecessary baggage, especially any emotional crap. I’m already an annoying asshole, so I’m not gonna annoy him with my plight.

“I know you’re lying.”

“What am I lying about?”

“You know what. Don’t think your brother doesn’t see through you.” He joins me in watching the water. The air around us runs dry, the silence adds onto the calming motion of the water below. “...Something is wrong, I know it. Do you think I can’t understand?”

“It’s not that, it’s just… I don’t want to burden you.”

“Don’t say that! I won’t allow you to carry on like this.”

With how this is going, he’s not going to let up.

Seeing no end in sight, I let out air from my lungs. “Fine, I’ll talk.”

“Then tell me why you’re so upset?”

“It’s just… That girl’s face. You can’t tell me you don’t see it.”

“I see it. Is it really that bad?”

“Yeah, it is…”

Memories, although few, come flooding to the front of my mind, forcing me to remember her…

“Why does that woman look like mother?”

Brother holds his breath. Silence wraps around us again, killing any momentum in our conversation.

“I do not know, but the similarities are frightening. Regardless, you must treat her better.”

“I know.”

“Then are you ready to go back and apologize?”

Got no other choice, I have to own up to my terrible behavior, or else it will look bad on my brother's part. Plus, even I know when I did something stupid.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Okay, then take my hand.”

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He raises his hand to me as he’s facing forward in the direction of where we came from.

“I’m a bit too… I mean… Gah, you’re just messing with me!”

Brother lets out a playful laugh. “Sorry, but teasing you is fun from time to time.”

“Man, you really know how to push my buttons… But thank you, I feel better.”

“No problem, just leave it to me to make you feel better.”

We walk alongside each other, heading back to the bar. An uneasy feeling forms around my chest, tightening itself as we get closer and closer to the bar. Arriving at the front-door, brother puts his hand on the doorknob.

“Are you ready?”

I slap my cheeks. “Yeah, I’m ready to apologize, damnit!”

“Good, then let’s go in.” He opens the door, walking in ahead of me. Okay, okay, I can do this, I can apologize. Yeah, I got this in the bag! “I am sorry for the sudden interruption to this party, but we have returned.”

Brother nudges me on the shoulder. Right, time to do this.

“Everyone, I am sorry for my awful behavior. Please forgive me!”

I put my hands on my knees and bow the upper part of my body. The yelling part at the end was unnecessary, but it’s better to yell and show passion in my apology than to sound unpassionate.

“It’s okay,” one of the girls spoke up. “We’re not angry. We should apologize for our performance if we’re not adequate enough for you. Vetra, apologize.”

“Of course. Zeal, I’m sorry for not doing my best to appease you. If you want, I can have another girl escort you?”

“N-no! You can stay as mine, but I need to say sorry to you as well. So don’t think it’s your fault, got me!?”

She goes blank faced for a moment, only to claim her beautiful smile again. “Of course, forgive me for assuming.”

“Damn right, and don’t sweat about the small stuff, ‘kay!?”

“I understand. With your kind words, I’ll make your stay here the best it can be.”

”Y-you better-- I mean, yeah, thank you…”

My face is heating up. Why am I feeling embarrassed? I can’t stand this anymore, I just want to get my mind off this and just have a bit of fun!

“Come, let us all have fun!” Brother puts a hand on my shoulder, giving me a charismatic smile.

“Yeah, let’s have a little fun, brother… Though, I ain’t drinking.”

"Of course, but I will!"

Even though he can hold his liquor, when he's hammered, he becomes a different person entirely. I better make sure he doesn't overindulge himself, for all our sakes.

Underground town - evening

Elizabeth, me, and the other girls are walking around this village. So far, nothing is out of the ordinary, or at least not suspicious about this place. I know Brother and I decided to accept their hospitality, but you can’t be too careful. This place is rather quiet, no other people, no lights on in the stores, no reason to hold a weapon in hand…

“Man, where can we find some booze?" Elizabeth yells as she slumps her shoulders.

“Didn’t you drink already?” I ask her

“But I want more. C’mon, don’t tell me ya don’t want a nice drink?”

“I’m not a heavy drinker, sorry.”

“Can’t hold ya alcohol?”

“Of course I can! I’m not a push-over.”

“Sure, ya say dat now, but… Hold on! Look over there.” She points to a store on the left. Getting closer, I can see bottles that look like liquor bottles. “Found da drinks, baby!”

Elizabeth is able to get in since the door is unlocked.

“Hang on, you don’t even know if we're allowed to go in.”

“Relax, nobody is around, and besides, nobody is drinking the stuff, so we might as well.”

Doesn’t help with the feeling in my gut, but she does kind of have a point. Might as well drink it if nobody else will. She’s already opening up a bottle as I’m walking into the store. She pours herself a cup.

“Y’all decided to join me?”

“We’ll all only have a bit,” I tell her. “But no more than that...”

…

The world is swaying, the floor is shuffling below my feet, my brain feels fuzzy… I like it.

My drink splashes out of the cup, swirling inside as I slammed it on the ground. “Another drink, Lizzy!”

“Comin’ up!”

Lizzy pours another drink into my bottle. “You’re such a good girl! I’m glad you’re our--” A hiccup forces its way out of my mouth. “That felt funny.”

“I like ya like dis. Ya more loosen than ya normally are.”

“Damn right I am! I am ready to parrrr-tay, and nobody can stop meeeee!”

“Dat’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout! Cheers!”

Drinking booze with friends feels so damn good! Man, I can’t believe that I never drank this much before. It’s as if all my worries are being washed away; like woosh woosh…

“What’s going on here?”

Two blurry figures enter the building, acting all bossy and shit.

“Oh goodness, look at them. Such a disgrace,” one of them says, mocking me.

“What was dat? Got a problem with us drinkin’?”

“The way you are acting is barbaric. It’s as if you are acting like men! Do you all have no shame?”

“Man, you’re acting like a...like a...like a…” What’s the word again...Uhhh… Oh yeah! “Bitch? Yeah, like a stuck up bitch.”

The party-poopers gasp, appalled by my language.

“What did you say, you muscled freak!?”

“Hey, hey, hey… I didn’t mean that… All I meant to say was--” Something bubbles up from my throat. A burp comes out without warning. “That felt funny.”

One of the girls makes a guttural sound. “Disgusting.”

“I agree. I feel bad for the men in your group. Being with such unrefined, graceless, and shameful women must be terrible.”

“They’re not what I would call... ideal femininity”. Chip said that a while ago. It pissed me off hearing that, but it wasn’t enough to set me off. But now, hearing it from these stuck up bitches… They just crossed the line.

My left fist zooms toward one of the girl’s faces. I still can’t see them clearly, but I know one of them is going to get hit by me.

“Stop this at once!” By a hair’s length, my fist stops in front of one of their faces.

They squeal as they run away from me, moving behind someone else in the store. “Ms. Vezra, they’re acting scary!”

“Yeah, they--”

“I heard everything you two said. I want the both of you to head back to your rooms. I’ll deal with you two later.”

“But--”

“Move it!” Her voice drops the mature, elegant tone she had before, swapping it out for a strict, commanding, and furious tone. The two girls leave the scene. “As for you all. I do not mind that you drink these beverages, but at least act with some class.”

Vezra, without turning back to say goodbye, leaves us. The air feels bitter, as well as the inside of my mouth. I slump on a seat, taking in what just happened. I’m starting to sober up thanks to her only for me to take another swig…

Elizabeth nervously chuckles. “So...let’s keep drinkin’!” Even when she raised her voice, the mood was still dower. “Well, ain’t dis pleasant?”

Guest Lounge - Richard’s room - evening

Nunnalé and I are sitting around, she’s reading a new book based on flowers. I got it for her before we left off on our tour. When she’s reading it, all her attention is engulfed in it. I wonder what her obsession with flowers is? Did she like them in her past?

“Nunnalé.” She fails to respond. “Um, hello…?” I didn’t think she would be this transfixed. “Nunnalé, hello? I have sweets.”

Her hand snatches the bookmark on the table beside her, putting it on the page she’s on, then closing it. “You procured sweets!?” Her eyes scan the room like a hungry predator. The little excitement she has goes dead as she catches on to my lie. “Ah, I see, it was a lie.”

“Sorry, I was calling you but you weren’t listening.”

“I am sorry, Master Richard. Please, relay what you wish to tell me.”

“Well, I more or less want to learn about you.”

Tilting her head a little, she raises an eyebrow to my reason. “I don’t understand. Are you not already familiar with me?”

“I guess you can say that, but what I mean is that I want to learn about your past.”

Nunnalé goes quiet, staring at me with the same deadpan expression as always. “My past is unknown to me.”

“Why?”

“I am unable to conclude why.”

Pressing her might get me nowhere on how she doesn’t know her own past. However, that statement alone doesn’t make any sense.

“Then how did you know where teacher lived, and why do you like flowers so much?”

“Yes, that is odd. I recall where the Moonlight witch lived, and even who she was. The reason for this is unknown, but it is a fact I neglected.”

Same on my behalf. There are many things we forgot or just didn’t look back on. Looking back on things now might be a good thing. For now, I’ll focus on Nunnalé.

“What about flowers?”

“Flowers resonate with me for no particular reason… I just feel a strong connection with them.” There are even more questions forming in my head. “Master Richard, now that we are talking about me, we must discuss something important.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about our contract, and about my power.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Hm, I would not say something is the matter, but I wouldn’t say that something is wrong, but there is an odd feeling.”

“What feeling?”

“I feel as if I am not at my true potential.”

“Can you describe it in detail?”

“Well, I believe I am not underpowered, however, I have a feeling that something important has not arisen within me.”

“And you don’t know what it is?”

“I do not. However, all I can say is that I feel as if I am not fighting with my true power.”

“Is it my fault?”

“No, the Source we share is more than sufficient. I do not know why this is, but do not worry. I am more than capable of protecting you in my current condition.” If it’s not a problem now, then I don’t see why I need to dwell on it. I just hope this doesn’t negatively affect us.

Anyway, what should we do now? It’s not like we have much to do, or anything we want to see, at least until Quincy is ready to. No sense in wasting my time on anything else, I might as well train. Though, since teacher isn’t here, I don’t have anyone to judge my performance… Hold on a second.

“Nunnalé, can you see Source?”

“I am capable of doing so.”

“Then can you watch me train? Also, can you criticize me on where I need to improve?”

“Very well, but what would you like for me to watch for?”

“I want you to see if I’m enhancing more than one part of my body properly. I know how to focus my Source into one part of my body, but I can’t seem to focus it into two points.”

“I understand. I will do my best to give accurate and helpful feedback.”

“Thanks.” Okay, let’s do this then. My mind goes blank, picturing only my trigger. A hand places itself on a deck of cards, drawing the top on with no hesitation. Source freely flows through me, empowering me. “Okay, here we go!”

Vella’s room - evening

The room is dark, too cramped for me to call it a room. There is no furniture except for a desk facing a mirror. Cosmetics are on it but I’m not heavy on it. A closet with only the same white gown I’m wearing. A bathroom with the bare essentials. Finally, a bed that has nothing resembling ownership, just a white cover, and a pillow.

Relaxing in this room is impossible, it’s just to retreat from the world around me and to go to sleep. My mind is as blank as this room. All my limbs feel numb, moving is too much of a bother for me. Even with my head being empty, a set of words keeps playing in my head, over, and over, and over again…

"If you want to dance, then you should go do it."

Such a sentence is nothing to think heavily about, but for some reason, I just can’t get it off my mind. Even so, it’s as if those words hit me in the heart. Dance if I want to… I can whenever, but there is no point in doing so…

“...He sure is insensitive.”

Proxy is quite different. He doesn’t act like how other men normally do; he’s more straightforward, energetic, a bit childish, and kind in his own forceful way… Is it even who he really is? For some reason, I can’t doubt it. I guess he left a better impression than I thought. Even if he didn’t, I’d still do what I was told by the elder… But since this is a rare occasion, I want to see how far I can take this...