The road has become more stone and tar-like. Buildings are more prevalent. The majority of people are wearing the same grey clothing which the newborns saw not too long ago. They all immediately back away from the cart whenever anyone notices it.

"Over here. The Sharmeija tailor will give us some clothes for you two."

They park next to a shop with the symbol of a thread going over a shield.

"I'll tend to the horses. Consus, you go inside with these two."

Consus nods and takes the 2 boys inside. The person behind the counter springs up with a smile.

"Good day! Welcome to Sharmeija's Tailor! How may I help? Recruits? Replicas? Touch-up?"

"None. We are here for something a bit more… acceptable," Consus stares at the 2 next to him. "We don't want our newborns walking around like this."

"I see. Well then! What can I get you?"

"We asked if we could borrow. Did you possibly hear something about Harmony? Marie-Jane?"

The person's face becomes straight. The smile completely disappears.

"Right. Red-ranks. Yeah, I heard."

The person retreats to the back of the room

"T-Thanks." Consus nervously laughs.

Easton clenches his fist as his forehead tenses. "I'm getting tired of these faces."

The person comes back and hands grey attire clothes to the newborns, along with black boots.

"Here. You can change elsewhere. Get out of my store. You're stinking it up."

"Listen here- HEY!"

"Thank you for your time! We will dress outside."

Consus grabs Easton and pulls him out.

"T-Thank you!"

Kiran smiles, bows and leaves; quickly scurrying away from the disgusted face.

He meets Consus and Easton outside again.

"You need to learn to control your temper, Easton. They gave us these clothes for free." Consus breathes out heavily. "It's a good thing Joseff informed how rowdy he is."

"I don't care. The way people look at me is pissing me off."

"Well get used to it." Marie-Jane comes from the front. "What reason do they have to show you respect? A newborn that's red-rank. You aren't providing anything of value to them."

Kiran and Easton dress. They finish by putting on a white shirt and then the grey jacket that buttons in the front. Marie-Jane stares a bit at the newborns in their Sharmeija clothes. She walks up and buttons Easton and Kiran's clothes properly. Where the shield normally would show, it states "New" in red.

"In fact. By being in their shop, you might have decreased value."

She finishes their clothes before climbing onto the cart. Kiran follows and sits next. Easton stares at the ground.

"Come! Enough dilly-dallying. It's still a bit of travel." says Marie-Jane

Consus uses his bamboo staff underneath Easton and throws him onto the front of the cart.

"Hey! Don't just do that!"

"Don't worry. I'm pretty good with this thing." Consus twirls the staff around a bit.

"Consus!"

"Sorry Marie!"

He climbs on and they head off towards the larger buildings that tower over the rest.

Large statues are perfectly aligned in a circle around 3 skyscrapers. The group rides around these statues towards the buildings.

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The building on the left stood tallest and decreased in size as it went on to the final building. The left building had a large shield crest, as seen on other Sharmeija members. It is silver, with the head of a trident, coloured black, touching the inner edges of the shield.

A girl from Sharmeija waves her hand.

"Over here!"

The cart stops near her.

"Welcome to Sharmeija Headquarters! I am here to take your horses to our stables." The girl has a yellow shield emblem.

"All right. Please give me a moment. I need to get something from the back."

Marie-Jane hops off.

The girl from Sharmeija pets the horses.

"There there. Who's a good boy?"

"Niheeh!"

"Haha. Sorry, good girl."

Consus, Kiran and Easton watch.

"Wow. I haven't seen an animal communicator in a while," thinks Consus.

The other horse rubs his head against the girl. "Of course! You get some too." The girl pets the other horse.

"Is this… a gift?"

"Yes, Kiran. Animal communications. It's usually specific for a certain species."

"Cool…"

Easton grips his pants. "So gifts are even as pointless as this! Then why…"

"BOYS!"

A loud screech cuts everyone's attention. Marie-Jane leaps over and lands right in front of the 3 Harmony members. The whole cart tilts with the force she creates. The small patches of grass around them shake.

"Where are my jewels?"

"Y-Your jewels?"

She snaps her eyes to Kiran.

"I-I don't know."

"What does it… look like?"

Now it goes to Easton.

"It is heavy. Mostly round jewels. I put it in to ensure it doesn't fall out."

Easton looks down.

"I-I think something hard landed on my head… and could've rolled out."

"WHAT!"

Another loud yell causes the grass to shake even more, almost like the wind is running through them. She grinds her teeth.

"M-Marie. Calm down please."

She now scowls at Consus.

"Oh? You know, you've been taking their side the whole time. Why don't you look after them huh?"

"What! Come on. I wanted to see some of Sharmeija for once."

"Too bad. Someone needs to look after the newborns, no?"

"I thought maybe Sharmeija could?"

"Ah, I lost my jewels. I can't pay them. They're your responsibility now. I only have 1 jewel left and need to get members. You will look after them and keep still."

Consus slumps his head. "Yes Marie…"

Marie-Jane jumps off. The horses neigh and the girl giggles. Marie goes to pet the horses.

"Be good you two. At least some don't disappoint me."

She gives one more look to the 3 Harmony members before she walks off towards the largest building. This look makes them all freeze in place.

"C-Come on boys. Let's go." Consus nervously laughs and places his hands on the 2 newborns' shoulders.

"Someone at reception will help you. You will find it in the smallest building."

"Thank you."

Consus takes the newborns and they head off towards the smallest building.

30 minutes later…

The 3 sit in a large room inside Sharmeija's reception area. There are many rows of seats, but no one else is there besides the Harmony members. There is one Sharmeija member in the reception area.

Kiran reads a magazine that catches his attention. Consus rests against his bamboo staff. Easton watches the big television. It's on the news channel.

"Just over a week has passed and we finally have some results from the 2775th cycle!"

"Right! 5335 newborns entered Arkodia just before the month of Mtawarira ended. An even lower number than the last cycle, which was only 3 months ago!"

"It follows the trend of diminishing newborns for the past 18 years."

"Well, the diminishing newborns cause the rise of combat gifts to be even more valuable! Combat events once again are topping the GDP charts. Each Guild is going even further and further to attract combat experts."

"In other news…"

Easton grips the arm of the chair. "What?! Combat?! How… how am I red-ranked!?"

Consus notices Easton's animosity. "Everything okay Easton?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, try and write out your feelings. They have pen and paper here."

"I don't like writing."

"Hmm. Draw?"

"… Fine."

Easton starts to draw. Consus smiles and turns to Kiran. He looks at the magazine Kiran is reading.

"Are you interested in weapons Kiran?"

"Not really. It seemed interesting. Kamino weapons… weapons with Soul Potential Energy?"

"Yes. They contain gifts. But it's difficult to use. You have to have perfect control over your Soul Potential Energy."

"I see…" Kiran lifts the magazine and stares at the words. "I don't know what that means."

Consus smiles and turns back to Easton and observes his drawing. He sees a skull and cross bones, along with humanoid figures on the ground with crosses over their eyes. Consus gets a bit cold. "Scary!"

Another Sharmeija member comes with a stack of papers to the reception desk. He has beige skin and short black hair. He places the papers down.

"Hi! Here are the papers you asked for!"

"So slow."

"Apologies! Anything else I can do ma'am?"

"No. Get out of my face."

"Yes ma'am!"

The beige-skinned boy turns around and sees the group from Harmony. The grey attire matching his Sharmeija uniform catches his eye.

"Hey!"

The Sharmeija member waves his hand. He walks towards the Harmony group.

"Are you new Sharmeija members? I thought recruitment ended a few days ago."

Consus speaks, "Sorry. They aren't new members. They're just wearing clothes we borrowed. We are simply visitors. We are waiting for someone."

"Dang..." The black-haired boy slouches his head. "I thought more red-ranks were going to join me…"

Easton punctures his paper.

The black-haired boy stands up straight again. He puffs out his chest.

"I'm Israr! A red-rank member of the Sharmeija Guild!"

"Hi! I'm Kiran! And we are all members of Harmony!"

"Really? The red-rank guild?

"Yeah!"

"I've always wanted to meet people from the infamous red-rank guild!"

Easton's entire paper is torn in half. He breathes deeply through his nose.

Consus smiles. "I'm glad Harmony is known a bit."

Israr's eyes shine. "Almost all guilds that are red-ranked get absorbed, except Harmony! It's been standing as a red-rank guild for 15 years. That's incredible!"

"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound pretty good."

"So who are you all waiting for? A Sharmeija member? Did something happen at your guild?"

"We are here for business. My Co-Guild Leader is having a meeting."

"You're a guild leader of Harmony?!"

"I am yes."

"That's awesome!"

"That's not the reaction I expected."

"You have to let me give you 3 a tour!"

"Are you sure? We don't have the money to pay for it."

"Don't worry! I'll handle all that. Besides, meetings take long. Do you want to sit here for the whole time?"

"Hmm… I don't know." The image of a monster enters Consus' mind. "Marie-Jane didn't seem too keen on us going anywhere… But I do want to see Sharmeija…"

Kiran grabs Consus' staff. "Can we please do it?

"Yes!" Easton chirps in. "We have been sitting here for so long. It's been awful."

"And I can't read another magazine… my eyes hurt."

Consus chuckles. "I guess it can't hurt."

"Awesome!" Israr salutes. "Then let's get going!"

"All right!" shouts Kiran.