Chapter 4: Learning About One
“Risky.”
“Maybe. But that’s what makes it fun.”
IXH
After breakfast Haruka and Isabella headed out on foot, sharing the supplies they still had between them. They decided that, without mounts, they should abandon the road, as any pursuers would easily catch them on it. Now they walked through the forest, heading at an angle away from the road. It would take the two five days to a week to get to Daubin now, even using the road, so they picked a circuitous path to make it more difficult to follow them. Isabella wished she could run like she used to, but at this point that would require drawing her sword and the effects of that would be worse than travelling slowly.
She could tell Haruka was curious about why she wouldn’t simply do that, but fortunately the monk didn’t ask. It was likely she simply didn’t want to get into another argument and that was just fine for Bella, who had no desire to share yet. She was willing to share other things with Haruka, though, which the other woman seemed grateful for. It wasn’t like they could just spend the week walking in silence anyway.
The area they were in was nice, even calming in a way. Though it was summer they were pretty far north, so there was a cool wind that kept them comfortable. The forest they were in was made up of mostly evergreen trees, giant things in both height and width. It meant that the sun mainly streamed through to them, leaving them mostly in the shade. The ground was still a little muddy thanks to the rain, the extensive shade making evaporation a slower process. Neither of them minded, though; they’d found a wide river to walk beside, both enjoying the sound of the water and the pleasant way the beams of sunlight bounced off of it. It also helped that they’d been able to wash off themselves and their clothing in the clear water, leaving only their boots muddy now.
The shade from the trees, the calming sound of the river, the cool wind, and the new, lazy sunlight all combined to make for a very relaxing walk, which led to a slower pace than they’d normally take. Despite the assumed pursuit that they were both sure would be coming after them at some point, neither felt like they were in a hurry. It was nice, getting back to just enjoying things, and it led to both of them feeling more open and willing to talk.
“You mentioned… mother?” Haruka said as they walked through the trees. “Had family?”
“Yes,” Isabella answered with a smile. “I was an only child, but I have fond memories of both parents.”
“How were they?”
“I suppose they were both rather carefree,” she said as she thought back. “Neither liked being forced into anything. Even before they met each other they weren’t very devoted to their respective causes. Mother said demons had always intrigued her because they seemed to follow their emotions rather than some blind cause. Father said the two were the same thing. They got into a lot of trouble together.” Isabella smiled fondly. “Honestly, I think I was always the most mature of the three of us.”
Haruka smirked. “You? Childish one?”
Isabella grinned. “Relatively mature. Still very childish. If you’d met my mother that wouldn’t surprise you, she was very similar. We played a lot, and not just when I was little. She and Father would get into these, these prank wars.”
Haruka raised an eyebrow. “Prank wars?”
Isabella nodded. “One of them would pull one on the other, some sort of joke; they were very creative, usually. Like rigging the bed to teleport them above the lake,” she said with a smile, drawing a chuckle from Haruka. “Then the other would get revenge, and they would go on and escalate until one of them gave up, only to start it up again months later. I was always in the middle, part of the planning; they would divulge their ideas to me, and sometimes I would help pull it off. I never told the other what was going to happen, and they never turned it on me. It was just fun every time, especially with how important and included they made me feel.”
Haruka smiled. “Sounds happy.”
“It was. And I’ve never met two people who loved each other as much as they did.” She looked into the moving water as she walked. “I always hoped I’d meet someone I could have something that strong with, someday. That kind of happiness. I had these silly ideas of having those prank wars against them with my spouse, even them using my own child against me because I knew they’d be close to their grandchild.”
Haruka watched her, unsure if she should ask. “What happened?”
Isabella sighed. “Fallen almost all live in Haldar because there’s a lot of racism in many parts of the world, especially towards demons. It’s sort of for good reason since most demons are evil, but that shouldn’t be carried over to fallen, they gave up being a demon. But racists aren’t usually logical.” She looked up at the sky as she walked. “I was a teenager Common Age when it happened. My parents had both taught me all they knew about fighting, and combined with my natural strength and abilities, it made me a very competent warrior from an early age. I ended up taking a job as a knight; it seemed like a very honorable choice, and my parents were both very supportive. So supportive, in fact, that they moved to the city I lived in.”
“For you?”
Isabella nodded. “To be close to me. I was ecstatic, of course. My parents… they were friends, you know? A lot of times I’d eat lunch with them on break or go somewhere with them on weekends. But we’d always lived in a small town before, knowing most, if not all, of the people there. My parents wanted to get back to that; they enjoyed knowing their neighbors. A city has a lot of people, but they introduced themselves all over. Unfortunately, where there are a lot of people, there are always some bad ones. There was a specific group of them that had a serious problem with my parents being in their city.”
“They attacked?”
Isabella shook her head. “No, they were cowards. Smart ones, though. If they’d attacked my parents, they would’ve been killed with no trouble at all,” she said with some pride. “But in the end it was the friendliness that was their weakness. They had a huge party where they invited anyone in the city that wanted to come. Two of that group came there, apologizing for the way they’d acted.” Isabella’s hands curled into fists, her eyes focusing ahead of her. “My parents forgave them, and let them in with smiles. And while the two mingled, one of them hid a potion in the house that they’d acquired from a mage. They slipped out after that, and two minutes later the house exploded.”
Haruka just watched her, remaining silent. She felt her own anger at the situation, but she didn’t dare interrupt. She moved closer and set a hand of support on Bella’s shoulder.
Isabella let out a long breath, giving her a smile of gratitude before continuing. “I was one of the soldiers removing survivors from the wreckage. My parents were found, but…” She looked away. “Neither of them made it. Only five people out of forty died, and two of them were my parents. After that, I… One of the guests told me about the two men who had come from that group, and left after only a minute.” She looked at Haruka with both guilt and anger. “I went after them. It wasn’t how things were done, but in that moment I didn’t care. I found the two with the rest of the group in one of their houses, where they were… celebrating,” she ground out the word through her teeth, her knuckles white. “That was the first time I drew my sword without being forced to. They were all dead by the time my superior and a contingent of guards arrived to arrest them.”
Haruka watched sadly as the blue-haired knight looked upwards, lost now in her memories. “I was brought in, of course… You can’t just murder suspects, especially when only two of them were spotted committing a crime by witnesses. I was almost executed, but I’d served well up until that point, so the king decided to exile me instead. I was stripped of my title and thrown out.” She looked down, running her thumb over the grey cloth that kept her sword tied into its scabbard. “I was able to get my mother’s scarf, but it’s been over a century so you can’t really tell anymore that it used to be a scarf. I also got my father’s ring, but I… I lost that.” She sighed. “Anyway, that’s what happened. It’s not a good story, but maybe it explains some things.”
Haruka stepped in front of her, tilting her head and inspecting her face. Isabella met her eyes, curious what she thought about all of it. “It’s a tragedy,” Haruka said as she examined Isabella’s face. “Had an impact,” she stated, “a big one. Didn’t it?”
Isabella nodded, averting her eyes. “My life was… different, after that. I really don’t… I don’t want to tell you about that. You’ll hate me. Or you’ll just leave.”
“Never hate you,” Haruka said with a soft smile, taking Isabella’s chin in her hand and making her meet her gaze. “Never leave.”
“Do you promise?”
“I promise.”
Isabella let out a sigh. “Alright…” She took Haruka’s hand in her own, leading her to the side of the river where she sat down. She looked into the water, starting quietly. “I wasn’t always the person I am – or try to be – now. In fact, I’ve really only been this person for twenty years. For most of my life I was a killer. And not just ‘someone who kills people’.” She smiled humorlessly. “The Golden Butcher, that’s the name people gave me. I shut out… everything, really. I shut away all emotions and just fought. I started working for this man named Lord Faust, who had designs on being a king. I didn’t really care what he wanted, but he directed me, and I liked that. I liked not having to think or decide, just doing.”
She shook her head. “Thousands… Thousands died by my hands over the years. Entire towns and clans, families, armies, I killed anything in his way and anything in my way.” She looked down at herself. “This armor used to be bright gold, you know. It’s almost bronze now because of all the blood that’s stained it over the years.”
“That’s why… you don’t kill?” Haruka asked, beginning to understand her companion more completely.
“It’s why I try not to.” Isabella looked at her. “If I kill, I become more like I was during that time. And if I do it enough, I know I’ll return to that completely. I won’t care about anything.” She shuddered as she looked back at the water. “That version of myself still exists, somewhere inside… I can feel it. I could still lose myself to it completely. I don’t believe that killing is right, but on top of that I don’t kill because it will kill… well, me.”
Haruka nodded. She laid her hand on Bella’s, squeezing it. “I’m trained to kill,” she said. “Like you were. I can’t judge.”
Isabella looked into her green eyes, smiling softly. “I can tell. And I understand that. I’m not judging you, either. Some of us are just… like that, I guess. In fact, I still am. I know that if I had to kill to protect you… I wouldn’t hesitate.”
“Hope that won’t happen,” Haruka responded. “Grateful, though…”
Isabella sighed. “I don’t know why I was so worried about what you’d think of me…”
Haruka shrugged. “You feel guilty,” she answered simply. “Shouldn’t.”
Bella smiled, laying a hand on Haruka’s cheek. “You’re sweet, but we both know there’s no justification for what I did. Please don’t lie just to make me feel better.”
Haruka sighed. “Sorry.” She looked at her. “Were guilty. No longer. Enough.” She reached forward and brushed several dark blue strands from her face. “Different person.”
Isabella closed her eyes, leaning into the hand. “You really believe that?”
The monk smiled at the action, tracing her fingers down the other woman’s cheek. “Completely.”
The knight moved over, leaning in to hug her tightly. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
Haruka returned the embrace with another smile. “Just honest.”
Isabella felt good, like this. She spoke of the worst things she’d done and Haruka just absolved her of them; they didn’t matter to her. Here she was holding her, and Isabella felt… a lot of things she’d thought she’d never feel. Safe was the most obvious one, along with a sense of belonging, but there was something more… beyond friendship, just like there’d been in the doctor’s home. Bella’s feelings for Haruka were growing stronger, she knew, and it only made her wonder if Haruka felt the same way. She sighed, her chin resting on the monk’s shoulder. This moment, this position, didn’t feel awkward at all, and neither of them was in a hurry to leave it.
But Isabella knew she couldn’t ask about Haruka’s feelings. If Haru was starting to feel for her as more than a friend… she’d have to leave, and she didn’t want that. Better to live in ignorance for the moment, and hope that it was just one-sided. She had almost told Haruka how she felt, at Vivian’s home; it was for the best that she’d been interrupted. She pulled back, smiling softly at Haruka. “You really are special. How did I get so lucky to get you all to myself? Surely there are people missing you right now.”
Haruka chuckled, resting her arms on her knees. “Not really. Wasn’t popular. No close friends.”
“Really?” Isabella tilted her head curiously. “Was there a reason for that?”
She shrugged. “Didn’t care. I’ve never been… open. Polite, not friendly.”
“That’s a little hard to believe. You were incredibly nice and friendly when we met.”
Haruka smiled, glancing sideways at her. “You’re different. That night was… odd.”
“Odd in a good way?” she asked hopefully.
“Of course.” Haruka looked into the water. “Life’s strange now… It’s exciting.”
Isabella smiled fondly. “You’re pretty strange yourself, Ruki, but I like it.”
IXH
Something was definitely odd about Isabella, Haruka thought. It was probably meant to be hidden, but the looks she was giving her when she thought she wasn’t looking were… strange. Distant. It was as if she was having thoughts she refused to voice, but the monk didn’t think pressing her on it would get her any answers. The woman could be a frustrating enigma; Haruka had no idea how many secrets she could be hiding.
It was late in the day and daylight had faded about an hour ago, but they continued walking. The forest, so calm and relaxing earlier that day, took on a vaguely threatening feel now that night had fallen. Strange animal sounds could be heard every few minutes from different directions. Isabella didn’t seem nervous or bothered, though, and Haruka wasn’t either. She was certain that any animal they would encounter would prove no real threat, or at least that was what she hoped. Eventually they would have to sleep, though, and they could be caught by surprise. Already Isabella was lagging a bit, and Haru noticed every time she stumbled even though she caught herself.
Whatever Isabella’s condition was, it was definitely slowing their pace considerably and it wasn’t able to hold up to hard travel. They had moved at a very slow pace throughout the day, a casual walk more than anything, and it would be impossible to outdistance any pursuit that way. But what could they do? Haruka couldn’t carry her any great distance. She could use that strange transformation ability, but she’d said that made her condition worse, so that was out of the question. In the end their only option was to hope they simply wouldn’t be found.
After another hour they had to stop and set up camp. Isabella wore an apologetic expression; she’d had the same thoughts Haruka had, and she knew she was their problem. Haruka simply gave her a reassuring smile; they were in this together and every weakness was shared. As Isabella went to sleep Haruka stayed awake, crossing her legs and entering a meditative state. Her chakra – basically a form of Life Energy – flowed through her body and rejuvenated her, enhancing her senses. She was aware of everything in this state; she could easily go a month or longer without any real sleep, so she would do this every night until they reached the port town. She could also go a fairly long time without food or water, but both she and Isabella were experienced at foraging and hunting, and they still followed the river, so that wouldn’t be necessary.
Haruka would sit within the tent, watching and listening, until Isabella woke shortly before dawn. They would then set out once more, walking until as late in the night as they (she) could make it, and then they would make camp again. So it went until they exited the forest several days later, an hour or so prior to sunset. They stopped atop a hill and looked out over the eastern coast; Daubin could be seen to the southeast, but the more interesting thing to Isabella was the ocean stretching out into the horizon. “I’ve never seen the ocean before,” she said in quiet awe, staring over the water as it reflected the setting sun behind them.
“Areya’s landlocked?” Haruka folded her arms, looking from the ocean to Bella. “Think it’s pretty?”
“Who wouldn’t?” Isabella said with a smile at her, her look making Haruka wonder if she’d meant it just for the ocean or for her as well. “We should get down there, I suppose… Hopefully there’s a ship ready to sail tomorrow.”
“Probably,” Haruka said with a nod. “Lots of travel. Caravans, mostly.”
“That’s good. I have the money to book us passage.”
“Enough?”
“It’s plenty. Most of it was given as gifts, actually,” she said with a smile. “People can be generous sometimes when you help them.”
“Paid for kindness?” Haruka asked. “Sounds right.”
“What sounds right?” Isabella tilted her head curiously.
“You, helping people.” Haruka looked at her. “Not surprised.”
“Well, I try. I have a lot to make up for,” she said softly, beginning to walk down the hill. Haruka didn’t respond; it was a true statement and denying it wouldn’t help. They made it to the town at sunset, walking between its low wooden buildings. Nothing was built too high but it was all solid.
“Resist storms,” Haruka explained as she motioned to the buildings. “Wind, waves.”
“Oh, I see. That’s pretty smart.” Isabella looked at her. “What about flooding? Surely having the buildings so low is bad for that.”
Haruka pointed at the ground. “Tunnel system,” she stated. “Diverts, captures ext-“ she was cut off as she coughed, grimacing and rubbing her throat. “Extra water.”
Isabella frowned. “I’m sorry; I’m making you speak a lot, aren’t I?” Haruka shrugged and Bella smiled at her. “I’m being selfish. You’re just so fun to talk to it’s hard to stop!”
The monk gave her a grateful smile as she led her through the town. They reached a long, wide building and Haruka opened the door for Bella, who still found her polite actions adorable, a sentiment she made clear with a quiet “such a gentleman,” eliciting another blush from the brunette. Inside she learned the building was a tavern, at least somewhat; it seemed more like a meeting place. In several spots of the room tables were pulled together and groups of people (mostly men, a few women) sat and talked together. Isabella assumed the two large groups she could see were each a crew of one of the two ships she’d seen moored at the docks on the far side of the town.
Numerous eyes went to the armored woman and her companion with the half-mask, an unknown pair in this port. Isabella seemed unconcerned as she strode forward, figuring there was no difference between the two crews. She stopped before the nearest table, smiling in a much friendlier manner than the sailors did, an action that amused Haruka. “Hello there! Are you perhaps shipping out soon? We’re looking for passage south. Just us two, no cargo.”
One of the men nearest her looked nervously at the other table, then shook his head at her, turning back to his table. “Sorry, we don’t take passengers,” he said with an odd tone.
“If anyone’s takin’ a passenger it’ll be us,” said a voice from the other table. Isabella and Haruka both turned as a man with a trimmed black beard stood up. His clothing, and that of his crew, looked more like he’d chosen his favorite piece from nine different people’s wardrobes. It was mismatched and looked thrown on like he wore all the pieces he was proudest of; a brown tricorne hat, a loose red shirt, dark blue trousers, a green belt, a black sash, plus a saber and some type of weapon Isabella didn’t recognize. He seemed dirtier than even an unwashed vagrant should be.
Though he was fairly tall, Isabella still managed to seem to look down on him with a tight-lipped frown. “Are you the captain of your ship?”
“Captain Tyne, at your service,” he said with a leer, removing his hat and performing a mockery of a bow.
Isabella placed a hand on her hip, tilting her head to the side. “You’re our option, huh?” she said as her eyes ran over him.
“If you want t’ leave in th’ mornin’ instead o’ waitin’ around for a week or two, we’re it,” he replied with a grin. His eyes examined the two women in a way that made them entirely uncomfortable, especially considering his crew was doing the same. “We’d be glad t’ ferry two fine women such as yerselves.”
I’m sure, Haruka thought as she forced herself not to roll her eyes. Isabella seemed not to even notice, however; she just smiled as she had before. “That’s perfect! How much will it be for the two of us?”
Tyne made a show of rubbing his beard in thought. “Well, that’ll depend on how far you’re wantin’ t’go, but I’m sure we can discuss payment once we’re at yer destination.”
“That’s very generous of you. When should we meet you?”
“At dawn, ‘ead t’the ship with th’ red flag. We’ll be waitin’.”
“Great! See you then; we’re going to see if we can get a room here for the night.”
“G’night t’you lasses, hope th’ night treats y’well.”
Isabella smiled. “Oh, I’m sure it will.” She started walking away and Haruka caught up to her, looking back over her shoulder at the men with a frown.
“Believe him?” she asked quietly.
“What, that he can take us where we’re wanting to go? Of course I do.”
“Meet him?” Haruka continued.
“Obviously. How else are we going to get on the ship?”
“Trust him?”
“Oh, certainly not. The plan is either to sell us as slaves, keep us for use themselves, or in the best case scenario, simply use us once, then kill us and keep our valuables.”
Haruka smirked. “Just checking.”
Isabella grinned at her. “Let’s just hope he’s smart enough not to do that. Brigands are usually cowards when faced with a real fight, so if they try something, all we need to do is show we’re more trouble than we’re worth, and then we’ll get a free ride the rest of the way.”
“Risky.”
“Maybe. But that’s what makes it fun.”
Haruka shook her head. “Unexpected… You, a daredevil.”
“Life is more exciting when there’s a bit of danger. You can’t tell me you aren’t at least a little excited.”
Haruka thought about it for a second before her a smirk touched her face. “Maybe a little.”
IXH
An hour later the women were in a small room at the back of the tavern. It was quiet enough, if not the cleanest or fanciest place to sleep. Haruka lay on her back on the bed, hands behind the bed as she stared at the ceiling with one leg over the other, foot tapping in the air to some unheard tune. She looked over at Isabella, who sat in one of the room’s two chairs at the small round wooden table. The blue-haired woman was cleaning the old, crude iron sword she wore on her hip beside the sheathed one. Cleaning it seemed pointless given its many cracks, chinks and dents, but she cleaned it as gently as if it was made of the purest silver.
“Is there… meaning,” Haruka asked softly as she nodded to the sword, “behind that?”
Isabella sighed, pausing in her polishing. “This sword is important, but not for the reason you might think.” She studied it for a long moment. “I don’t talk about this… I’ve never… talked about this.” She looked at Haruka. “You remember what I told you about my previous life?”
“You don’t have to-“
“Stop,” Isabella said, shaking her head. She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “If you tell me not to explain I’ll run from it like a coward again. Let me tell you, please…” She bit her lip. “Let me talk to someone about this.” Haruka went silent, nodding, and Bella smiled at her. “Thank you.” She lifted the sword, giving it an experimental swing. “A young girl tried to kill me with this. She couldn’t have been more than eight years old…” She sounded distant, her voice quiet enough that Haruka had to strain to hear it. “I was putting down her town for planning to rebel. You know, like you do to a misbehaving dog,” she said bitterly.
Haruka remained quiet as Isabella looked at her with hard eyes. “She should have succeeded, really. I mean, if I’m being honest, I deserved it. I’d killed her parents, or her siblings, or whoever had been looking after her. I could tell…” She looked away. “I’ve seen that look in so many eyes… Tragedy, revenge, hatred… You know those stories, those fairy tales? The ones where a cruel tyrant destroys the hero’s family, and the hero goes on a lifelong quest for revenge, finally bringing down the antagonist to avenge their loved ones? I was that antagonist. Not in stories, but in real life. I created a lot of those heroes, but I always killed the ones that came after me. None of them managed to bring down the villain.”
Isabella looked down at the iron sword. “Until that girl… I couldn’t kill her, like I had all the others. I lost it… Slaughtered the soldiers I’d brought to save the rest of the people in the town that I hadn’t killed yet. All those emotions I’d shut out and ignored since my parents’ death shattered my wall and broke through. I saw myself…” Isabella was truly distant now, looking at something Haruka couldn’t imagine. “In a mirror… It was like I was seeing it for the first time… I was the villain. I was the monster, the antagonist; the dragon that kidnapped the princess, the advisor that betrayed the king, the nightmare children imagined beneath their beds at night.”
“Felt guilt?” Haruka asked quietly. “Hate?”
Isabella nodded. “Along with other emotions. I left and killed King Faust and just kept walking. This sword was still in my hand; I killed him with it.” She looked down at it. “I kept it as a symbol… That girl didn’t kill me with this sword, but she killed a part of me; a part that needed to die. And I want to remind myself every day what I was, what I was capable of forcing a young child to do.”
Haruka shook her head. “Unhealthy; unfair.”
“I don’t deserve to forget, Haruka,” Isabella said as she stood from the table, walking towards the bed. “I don’t want to, either. I need to remember… I owe them that much.” She knelt on the bed, smiling softly. “I know you like me, Ruki, but you’ve only met me as I am now. If you’d met me then you would have hated me; I was a different person. As much as I appreciate your friendship… As much as I love that you like me… You have to understand that I did terrible things. I was not a good person, Haruka. Even if I am now, I don’t deserve to forget that.”
Haruka sat up, looking at her sadly as she brushed the back of her fingers against Bella’s cheek. “I understand. Don’t like it, but… understand. I forgive you… for all of it. Hope that, one day… you’ll forgive yourself.”
Isabella caught her hand, holding it against her cheek as she closed her eyes. She didn’t believe that she deserved Haruka’s words, but she wasn’t going to ignore them, either. She ran her thumb over Haruka’s fingers, opening her eyes to look at her. “I don’t deserve you, either. I don’t know why I suddenly became lucky and met you. Maybe God forgave me even if I didn’t.”
Haruka lay back down and pulled her into a reassuring hug. “Stop being so sad,” she said softly. “That’s over. You were cruel… Then changed, felt terrible… before me. Now’s time to be happy.”
Isabella curled her fingers in Haruka’s clothing, her head laying on the brunette’s chest as she blinked moisture from her eyes. “There’s no problem there… Despite my best efforts, I keep feeling happy around you.”
“You can resist,” Haruka stated with a sigh, “but I’ll win.”
Bella couldn’t bring herself to pull away, and to her great joy the monk didn’t let go anyway. She remained quiet, letting her depression and self-loathing run through her. It took less time to pass than usual with the comforting arms around her, and after a few moments all she felt was content. She was even starting to believe she did deserve it; maybe this was her reward for accepting what she’d done and trying so hard to redeem herself. It was getting harder to hate herself with the way Haruka made her feel. Even guilt was beginning to feel more distant.
Haruka slowly, gently moved her hand up and down Isabella’s back, calming and comforting her. She could feel the change in the woman in her breathing and her heartbeat. Isabella put on a great front of a carefree, happy young woman, she did; and Haruka believed that a lot of that was real, as well. But the levels of self-hatred, guilt and disgust below that surface seemed endless. It was a twisted mass of dark emotions, deep and complicated, built up over years of self-inflicted punishment. Still, that net was unraveling now. Haruka could see it; the beginnings of Isabella forgiving herself.
It would probably be awhile before it really happened, but she planned to work for it. She truly believed Isabella deserved it. She felt like she had more purpose in her life now than she’d ever had. She was even starting to hate the last twenty years, wishing she’d instead met Bella back then. They’d met now, though; that would have to be enough. With luck they’d make it out of this mess they were in and be free to make up for that lost potential time. Haruka began thinking of ways to make that happen more quickly; dealing with the people after them was just wasted time that could be spent in other, better ways. She looked down, noticing that Bella was content now, even smiling. It astonished her that she had that effect on a woman so broken.
Haruka lifted a hand to thread her fingers through the dark blue hair, watching with amazement as Bella’s eyes closed and her smile grew. Such a simple action by her had a strong effect on Isabella; she’d have to remember that, be careful with her actions. She continued to watch her face, deciding to lighten things up further. “We need names,” she said suddenly.
Isabella opened one eye to look at her. “Names? We have names. You have, like, seven names.”
Haruka rolled her eyes. “Fake names. Can’t lead pursuers.”
“Oh, right. Good point.” Isabella let out a happy sigh as her eye closed again. “Well, let me know once you come up with them.”
“Wh… My job?”
She grinned. “You’re the one who brought it up. You’re our idea man.”
Haruka huffed. “Not a man.”
“Fine, our sexy idea woman.”
Haruka felt the blush rise and watched – unsurprised – as Isabella opened her eyes to see it, grinned, and closed her eyes again. Haruka smirked, glad, at least, that she enjoyed it. “What theme?”
“Theme? We need a theme?”
“Good teams have themes.”
“Like types of flowers, or colors, or weapons?”
“Exactly.”
“Okay, so… Well, Blue and Brown sounds boring.”
“Hair? Really? Best idea?”
“Shush. I said it was boring. You could be… Mystery?”
“Great,” Haruka said, “I’m a stripper.”
“Fine then, Miss Judgmental. Although… I mean, if you wanted to strip, I wouldn’t mind…” Haruka gave an embarrassed cough as she blushed and avoided her eyes, and Isabella laughed, smiling at her fondly. “You have the best reactions. It makes me want to say things to embarrass you all the time.”
“Great,” Haruka repeated, muttering.
“Oh, I still mean all of them. Wait, do they even know my name?”
Haruka smirked. “Introduced yourself.”
“Damn. That was stupid.”
“It was.”
“No one asked your opinion.”
“Just agreeing.”
“Why can’t you agree on the good things about me? Like being smart, strong-“
“Beautiful… Cute… Endearing… Fun… Deep… Seductive… Skilled… Unique… Important?”
Isabella blushed deeply, hiding her face in Haruka’s chest. “That’s a little more than I was going to say,” she said in a small voice, receiving a chuckle from Haruka.
“Humble. Thanks,” she said with a grin. She ran a hand through the dark blue hair affectionately. “What’s your mother’s name?”
Isabella lifted her head, confused at the random topic change. “Sofiel, why?”
Haruka shrugged. “Could be your name.”
Bella smiled. “My mother’s name helping to protect me…? I think she’d like that.”
Haruka nodded. “Fitting.”
“So now we just need your name.” Isabella lifted her head, looking into Haruka’s eyes. “What about your mother…? I don’t know anything about your parents or your relationship with them,” she said, a little disappointed in herself. “I keep talking about myself, but I… I don’t know much about your past at all, if anything.”
Haruka sighed. “Hard to tell,” she said, “in four word clips.”
“I guess so…”
“Working on it.”
“Huh? How can you work on it?”
“You’ll see.”
“Alright…” Isabella sighed, laying her head back down. “Would you want to use your mother’s name…?”
“Not really…” Isabella nodded, wishing she could ask about it, and Haruka looked down at her. “They know anyway.”
“Oh, that’s right… I forget they know you really well.”
‘Better than I do’ was the unspoken sentiment and Haruka let out a deep sigh, irritated that she’d made Isabella depressed again. “You’ll learn,” she said. “Everything.”
“I trust you. I just… wish I knew now. Anyway… Oh!” Isabella lifted her head, smiling. “You can be Fate.”
Haruka blinked. “Fate?”
“You look like you’d have a mysterious name, so it fits. And I’m pretty sure your presence here is a product of fate. Something this incredible can’t be random chance.”
Haruka smiled. “Like it.”
“I thought you might.” Isabella laid her head back on Haruka’s chest, smiling. “Let me know if you ever feel like using your stripper name, though.”
Haruka laughed, shaking her head. “Nope. Stick with cool one.”
“I thought so. That’s you, Ruki – cool. You make things blow up with your hands; it’s hard to get cooler than that.”
“Are you a fan?”
Isabella grinned. “I’m your biggest fan. That probably won’t ever change.”
Haruka smiled, returning her fingers to playing in Isabella’s hair and receiving a sigh of contentment for her troubles. She’d succeeded in making her happy again, a task that, fortunately, seemed to be getting even easier with time, and they’d only known each other a few days. They fell into an easy, comfortable silence. Haruka managed to reach the small lantern on the bedside table and put it out, getting a small noise of gratitude from Bella. Despite the dingy room and unwelcoming location, sleep came without trouble for both, and, most tellingly, neither minded the lack of space in the least.
IXH
In the morning, as the sun peeked up over the horizon, Isabella and Haruka stood on the dock, examining the ship they’d be passengers on. It looked in good enough shape, if a bit worn and unclean. Haruka grimaced. “Get disease,” she said distastefully, “just walking on it.”
Isabella laughed. “It’s not that bad. Besides, wood doesn’t carry a lot of diseases.”
“Don’t know that.”
“You’re right, I made that up, I really have no idea.” Isabella whirled on her, holding up a finger. “But, you have to remember, we have no other option. It’s this, swim, or walk, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I walk pretty slowly, so just imagine how fast and for how long I can swim while wearing full armor.”
Haruka sighed. “Better to drown,” she said dejectedly.
“Oh, don’t be so morose.” Isabella put her hands on her hips. “Where did you grow up, a palace?”
“Monastery.” Haruka looked at her pointedly. “Clean monastery.”
“Well then you need to experience more dirt. It’ll build character.”
Haruka lifted her eyes just enough to see a nearby hill, pointing. “Dirt there.” She moved her hand a bit, pointing at the coast south of them. “And there. Walk on dirt.”
Isabella grabbed her pointing hand, pulling her towards the gangplank. “I don’t need your sarcasm. Let’s get on already!”
“Not scared?” Haruka looked at her curiously. “Never sailed…?” she questioned.
“You’re right, I’ve never sailed, but I’m not afraid to.” Isabella smiled back at her. “It’s something new to try! I want to experience all I can, Ruki. So come on, experience it with me?”
Haruka sighed, giving her a smile. “You win.”
“Finally!” Bella thrust her fist upwards. “A win for me!”
Haruka chuckled as Isabella grinned. They were interrupted by Captain Tyne appearing on the deck before them with a grin of his own. “Glad t’see you ladies are in a good mood. Ready t’ start th’ journey?”
“Without a doubt,” Bella stated with a firm nod.
“Perfect. So what’re the names o’ my delightful guests?”
The two women looked at each other and Isabella smiled. “Sofiel,” she answered without looking away from her companion.
“Fate,” Haruka stated in the same manner.
“Interesting names, though not the oddest I’ve heard. Well, welcome aboard!”
Haruka looked around as they stepped on board. “Ship’s name?”
“The Lusty Maiden!” Tyne said with a proud grin.
Both women blinked. Isabella gave a nervous laugh as Haruka narrowed her eyes. “Charming.”
“Ain’t she though? I’ll show you lasses yer cabin, then yer free ta walk around. Jus’ don’t get in our way!”
The cabin was nice enough, moreso than expected anyway. After the captain left them, Isabella was too excited to remain in the room and had soon led Haruka back out onto the deck as the sailors readied the ship to leave. Really, Haruka had been on plenty of ships, so she didn’t really care to watch the things going on. She had no intentions of leaving Isabella alone for a moment while on this ship, though. She trusted the crew even less than the knight did. Still, however she felt, she had to admit they were good at their jobs; within minutes the ship was sailing out of the port and heading south. Isabella grew even more excited as it headed out to the open sea.
The calm only lasted a few hours. This part of the coast was well known for storms as they’d experienced on the land, but Isabella hadn’t been prepared for the difference between facing a storm on dry, solid land and facing one on the deck of a ship that tossed about with every wave. Haruka was amazed that the woman wasn’t getting sick as the ship rocked side to side with every heavy wave. Isabella herself seemed determined to avoid it and stood outside on the deck in the rain, one hand on the rail as she watched the fury of the ocean rise as the day moved towards its end. “This is pretty amazing,” she said only just loud enough to be heard.
Haruka was standing very close to her. Isabella was wearing a body-length gold coat over white clothing rather than her armor, so at least she’d have a chance if she fell over, but Haruka really didn’t want to test her condition in the wild waves that could claim even the healthiest of victims. Isabella noticed this and simply gave her a grateful smile that turned into a grin when Haruka grabbed her free hand after she leaned a bit too far over the railing during one wave. “You’re kind of nervous, huh?”
Haruka looked sternly at the water, keeping a firm grip on the other woman’s hand. “Dangerous.”
“I can tell.”
“Had experience.”
“Really?” Isabella tilted her head. “…Would you prefer it if I went inside?” Haruka nodded and Isabella relented without an argument, heading back below deck with her. She shook the water from her hair before entering their room, giggling at the annoyed expression Haruka displayed when the action sprayed her with water. Inside the room they removed their coats, leaving them dry enough to sit on the bed. “So what experience did you have?”
Haruka sat at the head of the bed and leaned against the wall, folding her arms and crossing one knee over the other. “Thrown overboard once,” she stated, thinking back to the event. “Stormy night. Far from land.”
“That sounds horrible.” Isabella sat cross-legged on the bed next to Haruka’s legs, facing her with an awed expression. “How did you survive that?”
“Swam,” Haruka said with a shrug. “Four days. Issues with sea life, solved. Very tiring.” She looked at Isabella. “You couldn’t do it.”
Bella nodded, understanding more why Haruka had been so nervous. There was no way she’d be able to swim for more than a few hours without shifting. “You’re right about that. Even shifted I’m not sure how long I’d be able to keep it up. It’s amazing that anyone could.”
“Chakra,” Haruka explained. “Control own life energy. Less tired, less hungry, less thirsty. Limits, of course, but enough.”
“And without that you’d be dead…?” Haruka nodded. Isabella leaned forward. “What about that ‘issues with sea life’ you mentioned?”
Haruka smirked. “Sharks. Big creature. Weird eel. Grelk.”
“I understood, like, none of that,” Isabella said with a laugh, receiving a chuckle from the monk. “So what’s a shark?”
“Big fish,” Haruka said as she held her arms out. “Longer than a man. Lots of teeth.”
“I guess it makes sense fish would be bigger in the ocean than lakes and rivers. What about an ‘eel’?”
Haruka tilted her head, thinking of a good comparison. “Like… Fish plus snake. Long, thin, vicious.”
“Ugh,” Bella said with a frown. “That sounds like something I wouldn’t want to meet. And a ‘grelk’?”
Haruka smirked. “Drown victim. Water zombie. Annoying.”
“There are zombies in the ocean, too?!”
“Slimy. Covered in moss, algae. Weird hands.”
Isabella shuddered. “Remind me never to take a swim in the ocean.”
Haruka chuckled. “Not even worst part.”
“What’s worse than giant fish with teeth, water snakes and slimy zombies?”
“Big creatures,” Haruka said. She was enjoying this now as she leaned forward with a grin as if she was telling a ghost story. “Giant. Some bigger than ships. Different kinds. Eat men whole.” She gave a wicked smile. “Some eat ships whole.”
Isabella looked around as if she expected one of these nightmares to break through the walls of the ship as they spoke. “Giant monsters? Really?! Just… lurking down there beneath us, unseen, waiting to eat us?!” She looked at Haruka fearfully. “Ruki, I hate the ocean!”
Haruka laughed, pulling the woman to her. “No worries. Rare to see. Sailors know to avoid. Didn’t you fight dragons? Rarely worse than dragon.”
Isabella curled up against her. “Just once. It’s not a good memory. And at least you can see a dragon coming if you’re lucky. I just hate the idea of all these horrible things beneath me that I can’t see or face.”
“Not bad for ships. Usually safe.” Haruka rubbed her shoulder and then continued, dryly, “Our worry is above.”
Bella looked up at the ceiling. “You really think they’ll try something, don’t you?”
Haruka nodded. “Don’t trust them. Not sailors, pirates. Bad idea.”
“I know,” Bella sighed. “But we didn’t have another chance. This is the best way to get away from the Black Sun.”
“True. We’ll handle it. Invincible team.”
Isabella smiled. “That’s right. If they make a move, that will just be their problem.”
And it would. Haruka knew she wouldn’t have the slightest bit of hesitation if she had to rip a few throats out. She hoped they would be smart, but if they weren’t, well, even god wouldn’t be able to help any of them that tried to touch one dark blue strand of hair.