章 12: Getting There

Still immersed in the memories of her uncle, Lyra tightens her grip on her backpack and rapidly blinks away the tears that try to flow. When her sight is clear enough and she's strong enough to hold back her tears she looks around the station. Her gaze, no matter how hard she tries to survey thoroughly, keeps returning to the bench. Heaving a sigh Lyra eventually gives in to her desire to go to the bench. Making her way towards the bench full of bullets, Lyra silently reminisces about the last moments she had with her uncle when suddenly she hears a young man shout.

"Hey, brat! Are you Lyra?" the young man who looks like 20-25 years old wears raggedy clothes and has unruly hair loudly shouts rudely.

"Yes. and you are?" Lyra with her guard up answer while eyeing the suspicious young man.

Sensing Lyra's sharp gaze the young man held up a token with a Madam's Cherry's insignia, a phoenix. "Yo! I'm Timmy. I'm hired to guide you through the battlefield."

"Oh." Lyra still skeptical blurts out. But she realizes that the token is a genuine base from the luminescent of the Phoenix color in the token. She remembers Nina's random gossip about Madam Cherry's special token and insignia.

"That's all you say? *Oh*? Man city folks really are something else. Even a brat looks down at us downtrodden rural folks." Timmy with menacing and high pitch tone replies.

"I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry if I unintentionally offended you, sir." Lyra with a soft and slightly guilty tone replies.

"Well, whatever can't really blame a kid." Sensing the sincerity in Lyra's tone and posture, Timmy shrugs and asks straightforwardly "I'm hired to guide by super elite combat personnel and been briefed that I'm paid to guide you to retrieve something but they didn't clearly define what you need to retrieve. So what exactly are you trying to retrieve on a battlefield?"

"My Uncle's corpse sir." Lyra's tone is so soft that Timmy has to lean slightly down to hear her response.

" A corpse huh. Hmm. For how long was it since it was left there?"

"Three years sir."

*whistles* "That's a long time! It's probably just bones right now~ Better give up kid.

"You have no idea, Sir, what it took me to get here and finally be able to be this close in retrieving my uncle's corpse!" clearly trembling Lyra and fiercely glares at Timmy and almost yells the words she said.

"Woah calm there kid!" Timmy sees the great animosity from Lyra's stance tries to appease her. It bewilders Timmy why a city dweller would come to an active battlefield retrieve a corpse that's probably unrecognizable and worthless. Thinking that Lyra grew up in the city sheltered and pampered compared to him who has been living all his life scavenging scraps on the battlefield to sell to those arm-dealers, views Lyra's insane.

"Its just I don't get why waste so much money and effort for a dead person, Not like it would bring them back to life. Well, whatever the I'm paid to guide and that's what I'll do. Since I'm such a good person I'll even look after your kid."

The way Timmy keeps emphasizing the word kid to address Lyra just doesn't sit well with her so she states with a firm voice "My name is Lyra, sir."

"Hmm~ Yeah sure." Not paying attention to Lyra's annoyed look Timmy instantly begins to lecture Lyra on what to do and what not to do on the battlefield. He even quizzes her. Lyra subjected to the sudden info dump can barely follow the words Timmy is saying. Timmy only snorts and repeats some parts whenever Lyra answers wrongly.

"Follow my instruction and don't even think about disobeying them and if you got hurt because you're not following any of my lead nor instruction don't even think of getting your money back!" Timmy looks at Lyra while seriously stating his words.

Lyra keeping her temper check, nods and replies "Okay."

"So, let's head to some arms-dealer tent first. Buying cheap guns is fine since their ammo is even cheaper!" Timmy done by lecturing Lyra leads her out of the train station.

"Buy guns?" unsure why they have to stock up on guns since it's bulky and attracts attention, she never thought of adding more weapons to her baggage.

"Oh no! Don't tell me your one of those ignorant and naive city dwellers!" Timmy exaggeratedly laments. Lyra couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. too bad Timmy miss that action of Lyra.

"What do you expect? You got to have guns to protect your life! The more you have the higher the possibility of you coming back from the battlefield alive! Not everyone here affords to waste time or money to practice that fancy mancy combat arts! Aiyah! this is why it's hard to work with city dwellers!"

Lyra could only follow Timmy silently thinking about how lucky she is to be able to practice combat arts. Once again she gives thanks to her uncle's teaching and couldn't help but be thankful for having her uncle. She also silently give thanks to Nina who trained her how to use a gun. She realizes that fighting in the arena also gives her useful insights when it comes to fighting.

Timmy and Lyra exit the train station only to be greeted by numerous tents of arms-dealer tents and merchants. All of them are tough-looking and ragged. Lyra was a little bit shock to see the place in her memories doesn't exist anymore. Tents build upon crumbled buildings. Houses are close to collapsing.

Timmy, paying no mind to Lyra's shocked expression motion her to keep up with him. He leads her to the various tent to purchase numerous items claiming it's for safety. Ranging from a dozen scrap assembled handguns to oil, water, and lastly high-grade alcohol.

"Why do we have to buy liquors?" Lyra asks Timmy.

"It's for disinfecting minor wounds and it can be a makeshift firebomb!" Timmy readily answers Lyra. Still, a little bit suspicious Lyra looks at Timmy's gleeful eyes but she keeps silent. Timmy even made Lyra pay for all the purchases. Stating it's part of Lyra's responsibility.

After a day of tiring bargaining and shopping of various items, Timmy leads Lyra to an old and almost crumbling house but the inside is clean enough. Timmy lets Lyra know that "Here princess there's no hot water to use for bathing nor enough water for that! so just wash your face and brush and you're all set for the night." Lyra only nods and does what Timmy instructions silently without any protest.

"And kid makes sure to get enough rest since starting tomorrow we'll be entering the outer section of the battlefield and sleep would be a luxury by then. You'll understand what I mean when we get there. Stay strong kid." After only a few minutes Lyra hears Timmy's snores.

Lyra resting on her sleeping bag stares at the unfamiliar ceiling. She reaches for her knife resting beneath her makeshift pillow. She holds it for a while then puts it back beneath her pillow. With her mind full of thoughts, Lyra lets out a sigh and slowly closes her eyes, and lets herself drift off to sleep.

Softly Lyra whispers as the last of her consciousness succumbs to sleep "With all my heart I wish I'm strong enough."