บท 7: Green - 7
I shivered.
A thorough yawn broke from my mouth, for the warmth I had expected wasn't there. Only a greeting from an empty side, the bed was wide enough for two and yet there wasn't a second. Just the slight scent of her once numerous figure.
My arms stretched high into the air, fists shaking as I yawned out any remaining sleep. And for once I cursed the enhanced smell I was given. For the aroma of sweat and grime mixed with the delicious smell of some random pie. I crinkled my nose in disgust, it wasn't the pie, it was the mix of delicious and off putting that combined into some unholy mixture within my sensitive nose.
The previous night's antics came back to me, no… it was more like the previous morning. I opened the blinds and stared out the window. Four crisscrossing pieces of metal segmented the window into four, with all sides staring straight into the alleyway behind the house, where food and rotten trash was thrown haphazardly. All framed by the moon's gracious light, a moonlit silver that hideous sight did not deserve.
I scurried from my vantage point, the horrid stench - of mine own body - convinced me to search. Hoping that maybe somewhere in this long stretched hallway, among the sparse doors, there was a dedicated bath that may rid me of this… this stench.
Crinkling my nose again I opened another door. A bust. This was some sort of study, just a quick peek and I could see the various books Atalanta had bought me organized by title? Author? Something along those lines, I would assume at least. The next door was the same, 'cept for the desk that stood ominously at the end of the room.
Two studies? Was there a need for two? I shook my head and closed the door. The second to last door, I skipped that one feeling that my luck wouldn't give and that it would be a bedroom, mine if Atalanta was to be believed. And so I opened the farthest door.
It creaked with a slight noise that wooden doors were wont to do. Then with a crack of light - unneeded with my vision - I was greeted to a bedroom. "Ah- ok…" I mumbled. Of course… of course it was the last room I checked. I was at least sure that there had to be a bathroom, she couldn't have bought one without. Right?
I closed the door of what I can only assume would be my room and stalked to the next. Again I creaked the door open slowly and aired a sigh of relief when I finally found the bathroom. I unfurled the dirty clothes from my body and drew the water. Naked and bereft of any warmth but the water, I bubbled puffs of air into the water and relaxed my head so that it hit the back wall.
Soap? My lazy gaze loomed against the small bath. There wasn't the regular attached holder nor was there anything else. Nothing. I had to content myself with simply rinsing.
So I sighed. Dripping water against the floor and heating myself with some magical contraption. It used the same crystals - if a little bigger - that Ais and I had collected. But it was nice. I needn't go to all sorts of lengths to dry my hair properly.
And once I was done I curled myself back into my clothes and hopped downstairs. The door was the first thing I saw, then the smell hit me. Ah- I want that. My nose guided me towards the kitchen where an amused lion sat. She ate languidly at the pie she had made. The fork coming up and down to take increasingly larger bites. All graceful of course, that was a given.
Until her piece was gone. "Want some?" Atalanta gestured to the dish.
"Mm~" I nodded. "Ah- though… where are the- the plates?" She gestured to the cabinet above and I took a wooden one out. Then with gracious care I let myself take a slice for myself. Instantly any worries I had were forgotten in favor of this delicious apple pie.
I honestly - utterly truthful, I swear - don't know where this fixation came from. But… but apples just taste so delicious to me right now. Ah- Before I was even aware of the first bite, the last came. Leaving me bereft of that delicious invention.
Turning to take another slice I pouted at what I saw. The last slice being eaten… no scratch that, if it was just the last slice then I maybe could've pouted a bit and got myself a bite. But no… Atalanta devoured the thing so fast that I couldn't even see her bites. In turn I sulked with my head down, poking my fingers together and watching them deform at the other's pressure.
At the very least my stomach wasn't rumbling as much as before. "Go. It is clear as the moon, your want."
I blinked. "Thanks… but I-" She smirked and threw me a bundle of arrows and beckoned for me to leave. Ah- I… I stood from the chair and approached. Atalanta… she sat languidly with her hand cupping her cheek, all with an amused smile playing among her mouth.
So I hugged her tightly. "Thanks, I'll be back."
"As expected."
I hummed an agreement and burst from the door in a hurried walk. Countless half familiar roads led me to Babel where the entrance was waiting. I opened the doors and took one last glance at the bench I had sat in for so long… waiting.
Unbidden, my hand came to my heart and clenched it. 'I'll be waiting. Forever and ever. I won't abandon my promise.' Even if she had forgotten about me… I had promised, I had given my word no matter how brief.
And so I would wait, for an eternity if need be. For our next hunt.
"Excuse me."
I ignored the voice, it wasn't anyone that I recognized. Probably for someone else anyways.
"S'cuse me. Inari, that's your name, right?"
At the call of my name, I finally paid attention to the soft voice that - apparently - was calling for me. She was a short bubbly thing. Her hair tied into two pigtails with a professional vest and gloves on her person. In her grip was a stack of papers and other book-like objects. I tilted my head to the side, binders… Maybe?
"That's me?"
She sighed a breath of relief and let her hands rest on her crouched knees, taking breath after breath to try and revive herself. There was a bench nearby, I gestured for her to follow and sit. She did.
"Green hair with a touch of blonde at the roots, lion ears, bow. Yep~ Check. You've got to be Inari, right? Right! Right!" Oh- she wasn't shy, just tired. 'Cause when she regained her breath she was all over me.
"I said that was me… but did- Did you need something from me?" I tapped my chin, completely expressionless. But that didn't apply to her, no. Her grin was wider than the sky, her eyes seemed so expressive in their happiness.
"Yes!" She pumped her arm. Then with a blink she grabbed me by the abdomen and dragged me into her lap. "Ah- they said that you were small but not this small… Mm~ You're quite the cutie aren't you."
Please. Just please get to what you want to say. I could struggle out of her grip, could writhe and squirm but I didn't see the point. I just turned my head to look up at her. She was petite enough that I didn't have to look around her breasts.
"Just… ah- just what do you need?"
She touched a digit to her chin and let go of me, rifling through the papers at her side until she found a neatly sealed envelope. "Here. She was quite persistent that this be given to you. Of course I couldn't reject the extra cash-" She winked. "You get me, right~?"
I just want this to be over, she… she was just way too extra for me to deal with. Hah- I sighed and took the envelope with a bow of my head. "Thanks." Hopefully turning away from her and opening the letter would get the message across. Hopefully.
It was folded thrice, each crease perfectly mimicking the next to create a brochure type look. I unfurled it and read the message. Or I tried… I admit that while I had made progress deciphering the language, I didn't have the greatest comprehension. And so I had to look sheepishly at the employee. "Please leave." Like hell I was going to let someone I barely know look through my mail. It was mine. Mine.
"Mm~ Do you really dislike my company so~?"
With as blunt and straight a look I could give I spoke. "Yeah." She recoiled physically, holding her heart as she collapsed to the floor. Only saving her knees by virtue of the grasping hand whose grip had taken the bench.
And before she could recover from her… drama… I took my leave, pocketing the letter somewhere safe and deep in my bag. Hopefully it wouldn't get too damaged. Hopefully.
/./
My head tilted towards the disturbance, ears perked and twisted as they searched for the noise. I blinked out the gunk and sleep before carefully taking a step forward. The walls of the dungeon painted a haunted scene as little by little the crystals gave less illumination.
Rather than some deadly trap that might allow a monster to ambush a particularly unaware group, it gave me an advantage. The same one those monsters would take given the chance. As any without the power to see in the dark would light a torch… would take one of those crystals… would do something to illuminate their immediate surroundings.
I turned the corner and hid in the shadows, my mind was paranoid. Seeing bursts of aggression in places it shouldn't. And… uh- I really have no excuse… It was a result of living amongst the monsters for longer than I should.
Had I been more exposed, more used to the challenges of delving longer… staying focused for hours upon hours, maybe then I wouldn't have seen enemies in the long legged race. They whose ears poked through their cloaks like knives.
The light they brung was some kind of crystalline thing. It illuminated maybe twenty or so feet, enough for the next natural - as natural as the dungeon could be - light to appear. Their mouths twisted into thin lines of hardened grit. And their weapons left much to be desired.
Not that they weren't effective, only that… well… there wasn't much other than shortswords. A team made entirely of swordsmen would only fail as all tried to do the same job.
But that was something for my rational, less paranoid brain to parse. I lunged through their light and behind them. Only when a sword cut a strand of my hair did I actually see the elves. And only when the green fell to the floor did the taciturn one apologize, however fake it was.
I sighed a breath of relief and slipped past them. It was only the second floor, and judging by their speed - or at least the leader's- this group's goal was far loftier than mine. I took one last look at that elven group… sighed in relief at their kindness and clawed my way through the last bit of stairs… Back to the surface where coins bounced at my side, exchanged for the gathered crystals.
Where my feet carried me back to the shared house. And in the morning sun, amongst the endless shutters of wind I found her. She greeted me with a slight smile and an offered hug. I wasn't tired.
Maybe my body was, but that was only in an 'I just exercised' kind of way. Where I wanted more to just lounge like a cat upon the couch and watch as people walked to and from their destinations. Among their own worries and goals.
"Oh…" I muttered. My fingers dug through my bag and took out the crumbled letter. It was… well I wasn't quite sure who it was from. And among the people I knew, Atalanta was the only one that knew of my illiteracy.
And the only one I trusted to transcribe the letter to me. "Atalanta… I- I was given this letter, can you…" I trailed off, blushing at my stuttered words. But she cared not, instead she took the offered letter and ran her hands through my hair.
Her words were a quiet symphony of musical tones. Speaking of so much yet so little. And when she was done… a final, "Regards, Anakitty."
I blinked, trying to remember who that was. Then it hit me, the cat who took Ais away from me. So that's who sent the letter. I mean… well the wording and implied closeness of the letter gave it away slightly but… eh- I had no excuse I just didn't put two and two together.
"I'll come with."
It wasn't an offer, nor was it asking if I wanted her to come. No, Atalanta forced herself into my own personal business, with grand bullheadedness she practically divined that she would be there, whether I wanted or not.
And… and it wasn't like I wasn't going to offer. I just… the option would've been nice at least.
Ah- oh- the letter. Yeah the letter. Mm… well the letter, and I'm paraphrasing quite heavily here, pretty much invited me to come and meet her and her team to see about me helping them as a supporter, whatever that was.
Though apparently Ais was also going to be their supporter and that sort of sweetened the pot. What didn't was the meeting time. A week from now, apparently they needed to get some things in order to even consider me. And it was only Ais's insistence that even got me considered.
I sighed, watching the sun rise further into the sky, only to peak for some time and lower all the same. I wouldn't call the day productive. I lounged around and let my tired body recuperate and I ate food baked by Atalanta's hands.
That was the extent of my day. A lazy one for sure. But a pleasant day all together. And when I placed the covers over my body, snuggled to the warm body next to me, I ended the day with a smile. And a sleep schedule that vaguely resembled a normal human.
/./
So that when the sun rose again, when I wafted gently from my sleep to clothes hanging dry and a body half naked. I… well I won't lie and say that I didn't blush, and I won't lie and say that I didn't rush to grab the clothes and hurry to the bathroom. 'Cause that was exactly what I did.
But I will say that I resent the small smirk whose form played upon Atalanta's perfect face. She gently giggled into a raised hand and threw me like a cat into the clothes. Saying one thing or another about how I needed to wash them… and how she wouldn't do it the next time they needed washing.
I- I needed to go and buy some more clothes… I really did. But- Well that could wait for another day. 'Cause when I got out of the bath and clothed myself again I had a question to ask. I wouldn't take some random non-answer, I really did want to know.
So when I hurried downstairs, I would like to lie and say that I made a pleasant breakfast. That I at least tried, but… well I couldn't. I knew none of these utensils. The most I knew was the stove and what good would that do me when I knew no recipes.
I grumbled and fished an apple - we were quite stocked on them - from the counter and washed it from some drawn water. Honestly it was amazing how modern and not modern this world was. I might've said it before - in the confines of my mind - but this really was a wonder. They had so many things I would consider modern yet so many other things that still seemed content to stay in the middle ages.
Ah- either way I shook my head and tore the apple into dust. Crunching on it until only the core remained. I threw it away and waited for those dainty legs to bring her down here. And bring her they did.
"Morning…" I grumbled. What? I was still a bit tired.
She smiled and ruffled my hair. "Good morning." Formal. Who would've guessed. Either way I had a question and I wanted it answered.
And so I tilted my head. I turned my gaze to hers and quivered my lip. "I- I wanted to ask something…" I stuttered out, I wasn't playing. There was this certain nervousness she drew from me. "I-" I turned my head and blushed.
"Go on." Atalanta kneeled down to me and cupped my cheek in her palm. "Please…" She… she was just so gentle… so nice… so- just so pleasant. And so great.
"I- Well I wanted to ask about why- well why we're here…" I stuttered again but she let me continue. "I know that the god- well he said something about entertainment but- I- I don't feel like I'm entertaining… I don't- I just don't."
My heart beat wildly as her gaze settled on me. Atalanta's knee pushed into my side as she drew me closer to her chest. "I won't lie." She spoke. "I won't tell you some concrete purpose and give you some nascent hope."
My quivered lip parted just a little.
"I can tell you what I've done. What slice I've taken from this world. For this god…" She gazed over my head, as if to look far into the future. "He wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't believe you were capable of entertaining him. This god… thine soul must've shone bright enough to dazzle even his augustine self."
I insisted. Even if my mouth refused to part and give way to words… well she just understood. So with a nod she explained. To some it may've been nonsense, some random bout of small talk. But the words that left my mouth gave it purpose. A small smirk that told me she knew.
"He talked… well wrote about how fate and my actions were different. Like- Like I could break it at will."
Atalanta ignored my words. Instead, she drolled on about her day. How she met with some people and sold the stones she had harvested. How she had made tens of thousands with that single transaction.
How she had taken the initiative to delve deeper into the dungeon and had saved some random adventurer by merit of her presence. It was random. Mere snippets of her day. But to me, to my childish mind. It was coming together.
Slowly. Like all things were. But purpose wasn't that easy, and neither was deciphering the words of god. That was something left to apostles and chosen people. Had I been chosen… sure. But as I nodded to Atalanta's story, interjected at points for clarification and conversation's sake, and as I leaned my head into her chest… Well I didn't feel chosen.
I felt like some random child chosen for their mind when the task at hand required a far more intelligent thought. I felt… I felt useless. Like every action I took was predetermined and every movement I made was as useless as my old withered body.
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