Chapter 21: 4.2 Service

I had to assess what was happening to me. This was far from normal.

What was I missing then? My name's Rouge. That was easy. I'm forty- no. I'm eighteen. Why did my brain readily offer that information up? I grew up in a [city] Town! On the outskirts of a little town!

"Bro!" I felt myself being embraced by something warm. "B-e-the!"

Throughout my childhood, [I was a middling student] I worked throughout the house and on the surrounding fields. [I took pleasure in playing video games] I was taught how to fight by Mother when I was [thirty-three] nine after I [entered high school with the expectations of doing whatever I wanted] asked her how to defend myself.

*WHOOSH! SPLASH!*

A searing pain started spreading throughout my head as I felt myself crouching down on the ground. A fluid-like sensation ebbed and flowed inside my head. What were these conflicting memories!?

[I used to love anime] I took pleasure in cooking supper for my parents.

*WHOOSH*

[Magic isn't real] Zahlers were inherently more powerful than Nenners.

[My name is...] My name is...

*TRICKLE*

The sound of trickling water echoed in my mind. My name...

*DRIP...*

R-x

Say it. Come on! I should know this!

*Drip....*

R...

That damnable leak in my head just kept on distracting me! Come on... It was just at the tip of my tongue...

*drip...*

One more...

*drip*

One more...

R... "Rouge"...

I felt a dam erect itself inside my mind, sealing off the incessant cacophony of water. In an instant, a serene calm washed over me. The blissful sound of silence...

Yes... Rouge, that was my name.

That was the last thought I had on my mind before darkness swallowed my vision.

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When I came to, it was to the excruciating sounds of my little sister crying on top of me.

"H-Hey," I reached to her face, trying to wipe a tear off her cheek. "Don't cry over me."

"B-But-"

"No buts, dear," I groaned as I made my back leave the cold hard ground. "I'm supposed to be the older sibling in this relationship."

I tilted my head up as I observed my surroundings. I guess I was still in the smithing room judging by the fact that I was still beside the anvil that we were working on. Speaking of which...

"How's the rapier?"

"The rapier?"

Huh? "The...rapier? The one that we're supposed to make for Madam Aria?" I found myself almost swooning at the mere mention of our patron's name. Aria... Oh beautiful Aria... Gotta have to finish building that 'special' thing for her soon.

"That tone," Lise looked at me like I was about to die of cancer. "You never addressed the Madam like that before..."

I almost did a double-take in my confusion. "Why not? She saved us." She took us out of the Furnaces. If it wasn't for her, we would still be both sweating our butts off without the proper compensation for it.

Lise put one foot behind her as she looked at me with fear. "Brother? Are you okay?"

*drip*

I frowned. Why was this a question? "I'm pretty sure I'm fine, Sis." I then glanced a look over myself for added emphasis. "Is there... Why are you looking at me like that?"

She almost looked like I was going to die. This was a problem and a half... The not-so-little brunette's face was currently morphed into a horrified expression; a far cry from her cute and normal self.

"Lise," I offered a hand to my sis. "What's wrong?"

To my surprise, her face went from being horrified to what seemed to be a build-up of seething anger, before then ending up with a steely-eyed look of determination. I couldn't help but smile at the thought. What a colorful array of emotions. That was pretty cute...

*drip*

Lise briskly walked up to me before tightly gripping my shoulders as if preventing me from moving. Her eyes were laser-focused, and I couldn't be more proud of her development as a person.

"Stay here," she leveled out.

"Oookay?" What was happening?

I stood at the workshop almost dumbfounded as my charge quickly left the room before I could even see her close the door. I fought the urge to move as my eyes flitted from object to object in an effort to distract myself. I trusted my little sis to know what she was doing, and she didn't me cramping her style.

*tap tap tap*

My feet tapped the ground as I crossed my arms over my chest. Needless to say, I got bored after the few seconds of self-imposed stasis. My eyes darted across the room, searching for anything that would sate my boredom. Inevitably, my eyes landed on what was assuredly a katana of some sort.

"Huh. I don't remember making you."

Did I teach Lise how to make that? I didn't recall, honestly. Damn. I was so forgetful these days... Too bad there was no miracle drug here that would magically improve memory. I doubt B-12 supplements would actually exist here. Huh, I should try making those if I could even think of how to synthesize the thing itself.

*drip*

Ah.. Sweating again.

I moved my hand to wipe the sweat off my forehead. Working in a forge did that to the body. Also, that reminded me that got to have some- wait...

*Drip*

Confusion wracked my brain as my hand rubbed my conspicuously dry forehead. I swore I heard something dripping though. It had been for a while now, actually.

*Trickle*

The sound of trickling water swiftly replaced the incessant dripping as soon as I was finished with my previous thought. In my chest, my heart was pounding for some reason. The smoldering rage from earlier slowly came to the forefront. But with no direction to throw it at, it just sat in my chest being all confused as to why it existed in the first place.

Deep in my head, there were alarm bells ringing. But that shouldn't be happening... Right?

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