Rin: "So where are you from, Alaric?"
Rin's question came casually as they walked side by side, slipping into the crowd. The bustling city buzzed around them—people chatting, shopkeepers shouting deals, clanging from the blacksmith's forge down the road. Yet for a brief moment, the noise felt distant.
Alaric's eyes darted, his smile faltering just slightly.
Alaric: "…Far. Really far."
Rin: "That's not an answer." Tilting her head with a small smirk.
Her response made Alaric falter. His smile began to shrink
Alaric: "I-I'm from the southern region. Just migrating for a better and promising future. I mean, this place seems to look promising."
Rin: "Alaric…"
Alaric: "Yeah?"
Rin: "This is the southernmost region."
Alaric: "Ah-"
Rin: "You might be in a much more serious position to be honest."
Alaric: "Really? You think so?"
Rin: "But don't you worry! I can totally help!"
Alaric: "I doubt that." Rubbing his temple looking away from her.
Rin: "How so?" Facing Alaric with her hands on her hips
Alaric: "Well by the way you try to mug me, I can assume you're probably not doing too good yourself. Not to mention how those stockings, boots and jacket seem a bit oversized for you. And your shorts seem torn from someone's pants."
Alaric: "And what's with that headwear, it seems a bit ragged-"
His hand reaching over to grab the ears of the head cloth.
Rin: "Don't touch it!"
Slapping away Alaric's hand and clenching the ears of it.
Alaric recoiled. He blinked, watching how protectively she held the fabric.
Alaric: "O-oh, my bad. Must be really important to you if you reacted like that."
Rin: "Yeah it is! And if anyone dares to grab it even by a lint, I swear I'll crush their skulls!"
Alaric: "That's a little much, no?"
Rin: "Whatever." She turned ahead again, her voice cooler.
"Anyways, you might be right. I'm not really the best person you should be asking for."
Alaric: "But you're the only person who I have! Plus, we're bonding like siblings, don't you think!"
Rin: "Enough with the weird stuff!" She groaned, speeding up.
"C'mon, let's walk and talk, I'll explain the city."
Alaric: "Right!"
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rin: "Well to start off, you're in Veyne! The capital city of the Southern region. After wars, it became big due to its history. Many lives given and taken. Nowadays it's more difficult to be secure with its growing population here."
Alaric: "I get it. It reminds me of my home where after revolutions and wars, the U.S. became the more recognized country rather than Europe, or Russia. It's kind of odd though, never really thought of it like that. I probably should've actually listened in class rather than just living so dead…"
His hand under his chin as they walked past stalls. Alaric's gaze went through the floor, not taking notice of anything else after what Rin said. That information alone became his thoughts.
Rin: "I'm sorry about the wars in your home, what's the U.S.? Never heard Papa talk about that and he was a veteran."
Rin's gaze befell onto Alaric as she saw his expression. It was almost void yet still some presence was still around, as if Alaric left himself behind and allowed his body to walk on its own.
That alone made Rin a bit more curious of the man she attempted to mug. She stared at him as if he was a book with more information or tales being held in it. A book filled to the brim with notes and secrets hiding in it.
Alaric: "Oh it's nothing… just some fairy tales I've remembered back home. A lot of them were very descriptive so sorry if it sounds very real."
Rin: "You don't say, huh?... Anyways, a lot of people around here are actually born in Veyne rather than what you'd probably expect… Am I right?"
Alaric falters his hand as she states what he exactly had in mind. He heard stories from blogs and media posts back in Japan. A lot of people from his father's culture chose to migrate to different countries to better help themselves and their families to a better future.
Alaric: "Yeah… You're right about that…, Actually right on the money."
As he pulls his hand out from his side, he sees the dirt and dust on his sleeve from the attack earlier. His hands clean now when earlier they were rashed with red from the crash. He began to wonder.
His footsteps stop moving and making sound. Rin turns to look at him, seeing that he stopped walking with her. Alaric, still looking at his hand, seemed to have gotten a new question.
*Am I the only one?*
Alaric raises his eyes back onto Rin
Alaric: "Hey Rin…, have you heard anything of-...."
Rin: "..., Of what?"
His expression showing a bit of concern began to falter. It doesn't matter anymore, it's not like there was anything worth living for anymore back home, After all, he's gone and they most likely won't ever find him. Alaric smiles and shakes his head. His gaze softens at Rin
Alaric: "...Eh, Nevermind, it's not really worth mentioning."
Rin: "Then what's the point of even mentioning it in the first place!? You realize girls will hate you for that right!?" Angrily exclaims with aggression turned toward Alaric
Alaric: "Hey! Now don't go thinking that just because you're a little girl doesn't mean I will be so easy." Aggressively rubbing his hands on Rin's hair.
Rin: "Cut that out! I'll have you know that I'm able to take care of myself and Papa at just thirteen! I'm basically an adult with the skills I have!"
Alaric: "Careful~ Back at my home, if you said something like that, it would give some creep with a loli fetish some stupid excuse for himself. Just be glad I'm not one of those people, Alright?"
Rin: "Is this even relevant!? You're wasting time and valuable information! Each minute you keep me here I'll charge you! And if you don't have the money then I'll just beat you to a pulp." Yanking off his hand off her head.
Alaric: "Right. Where to next?" Following her as she began walking.
____________________________________________________________________________
The next 2 hours passed in a chaotic blend of sightseeing and sarcasm.
Alaric tried to follow Rin's rushed tour through the city, but her version of "direction" was closer to a scavenger hunt. She pointed out landmarks like the arena—usually while dodging through alleyways or cutting across rooftops like a parkour junkie.
"You call this a shortcut!?"
"It's faster than traffic, isn't it?"
He tripped, slipped, and almost knocked over an old woman's cabbage stall. Rin didn't stop.
Alaric learned that Rin hated books, had a near-obsessive love for sweet snacks, and never—ever—let anyone touch her hat again.
In between the chaos, he caught fragments of the city's personality: guarded faces at the gates, quiet prayers at shrines, text and signs that Alaric couldn't read, and wanted posters that looked far too recent.
For the first time since waking up here, things didn't feel like just a dream.
Without much thought, he felt like he could finally belong somewhere.
Alaric: "Wooh… So much in little time honestly! What else do we have?"
Rin: "Actually, the last spot is the guild I've kept you waiting for. Save the best for last, y'know?"
After so much, they were walking with much more comfort than what it had been a few hours ago, making their way to the guild.
Growl…
They both stop in their tracks. The noise made beside Alaric had him pause. As he turned, he could see Rin's cheeks flare red.
Alaric: "...Hey- want to stop for some food?"
Rin: "Yeah… I'd like that."
____________________________________________________________________________
They settled near a busy food stall, the scent of grilled skewers making the air almost unbearable to resist. Alaric handed one to her.
Rin: "Thank you."
Alaric: "It's nothing, really."
Rin stares at the skewered meat. Her expression shifts after a quiet moment. It didn't feel right.
Rin: "Sorry, but you should take it back. I don't have money and I'd rather not pull myself lower in debt. Here." Her hands offered back the skewer. Her worrisome smile and eyes covering her guiltiness.
Alaric recognized that look. The one his own mother used to make. Anytime she asked him for a favor. She would always hesitate, never wanting to push him in fear of being the reason Alaric would suffer even more. She would have rather done it herself than ask for help.
It twisted something in his chest.
Alaric: "Look it's fine. Think of it as repayment for being here with me!"
Rin: "Alaric… I can't accept this. It's not right."
Alaric: "Man, that's enough… When has anything been right?"
He chuckled, softly.
Alaric: "You'll tire me out if you try to fight back… Listen. I don't care about what has happened or any of that stuff. I want to do this. Okay?"
She looked down at the skewer… then up at him. Searching for something in his eyes.
Rin: "...Why?" Almost whispering under her tone with a fragile face.
Alaric observes her expression as she questions. Soon his own shifts to a stretch reaching his cheeks.
Alaric: "Is it not obvious?...Because we're friends! So stop looking so gloomy and just eat up!"
Friends.
The word felt like it came from a place she didn't remember. Not truly. Not anymore. It had almost slipped out of her memory. She hadn't spent a lot of her time thinking about herself or anyone. Just her father. The word itself had rekindled her.
Rin: "Yeah… Yeah!...I guess we are friends."
Alaric: "Now that's the spirit. And I'd prefer if you didn't cry like a little baby even if you are thirteen. I'm kind of vulnerable to that stuff."
Rin: "I wasn't gonna cry, you idiot! It just felt weird hearing that!"
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The closer they got, the more the world began to narrow.
Alaric and Rin walked side by side beneath the golden sky, their steps tapping in near-perfect sync against the cobblestone. The Capital's guild stood just a corner away now—its tower barely visible above the rooftops, beckoning like a promised end.
Alaric: "Damn. What a journey,... and it's still bright out."
Rin: "Right. And we're almost close too. Sad that the tour has to come to an end but I guess everything has its end."
They turned down the alley that sliced between two old stone buildings. Unlike the warm streets behind them, the corridor here was swallowed by shadow. The light from the setting sun died the moment they entered.
Rin: "Just past here and we're there. Come on."
Alaric: "Again thank you for everything."
Alaric followed, but something pressed against his chest—a weightless dread. A drop of sweat trickled down his temple. Unease, but Alaric couldn't tell why. His heart raced.
Alaric: "Rin, stop."
Rin: "Uh… What is it?"
She blinked and froze in place.
The sound of boots echoed in front of them.
From the deeper shadows ahead, silhouettes emerged. Four, maybe five. Their uniforms mirrored the city's enforcement squad—but wrong. One too tall. One too wide. Their stances too loose. Their smiles too sharp.
"Easy now," said the first man, waving with mock politeness. "We're just here for a little exchange. Quick buck. Real civil."
Alaric: "Mm-! R-right… Well, I heard that people like to hire each other for some errands in exchange for some cash! But I think you made a wrong turn. Your business is that way, actually. Way that way!"
One of the fellow thieves begins smirking, their sharp teeth piercing through.
"Come on now. Don't act stupid. We both know what this is about. Even you, Rin. So…"
He tilted his head. "…Why don't you give us what you owe?"
Alaric: "...Rin?"
A cold, metallic whisper hissed at his back.
Steel. Unmistakable. Pressed just against the edge of his spine.
Slowly, he turned.
Rin stood behind him, hand trembling as she held a short dagger.
Her face was pale. Guilty. She couldn't meet his eyes.
Alaric: "Are you actually serious Rin? Did you know this would happen or that all this was all staged?"
Silence. Her grip tightened.
Alaric: "Come on. Give me some answer...You don't want this, right? I'm getting some feeling that this was a result of a sequence without knowing the result… So am I right? This isn't what you want… right?"
She didn't answer. But her lips trembled.
And in her eyes—remorse. Deep, choking remorse.
Her dagger lowered an inch. Her mouth opened as if to say something—but no words came out. A tear formed from her lashes, besides her sweat drops.
Alaric: [quietly] "Alright. I got your answer so don't worry."
He stepped forward and gently pushed the blade down.
Then turned to the thugs.
Alaric: "Alright~! Now I don't have a clue about you muggers in Veyne but I won't go down without a fight! I mean- be real for a second! You have a poor little girl doing your dirty work while you lazy bums do what? I mean come on, aren't your parents ashamed of you or what? Oh! Sorry about that~ couldn't handle keeping the truth hidden." Waving his hands around.
Alaric: "So I think you should go take your asses the other way around before things get ugly-"
The men scowled. The largest of them—a bald brute the size of a carriage—cracked his knuckles and stomped forward.
Alaric: "oh shit…"
"You were saying?"
Alaric begins dropping whatever he had, the change, his pants, shoes, and socks. As he began backing away with his white button sleeve and boxers.
Alaric: "Nope. Nope. I said nothing. In fact, I was just about to compliment your posture—very intimidating. Real nice spine work, top-tier.""
He backed up. Fast.
Rin turned away, eyes hidden beneath her bangs.
Rin: [whispers to herself] "I did it again…"
"Huh… Big talk for such a weakling. But looks like we got what we wanted so it worked out for-"
THUD.
A blur dropped from the shadows above.
The largest thug crumpled, unconscious. Alaric stood over him, having drop kicked him mid-sentence.
He stood barefoot, chest rising with adrenaline.
"What the hell?!"
He inhaled.
Alaric: "HEEELP! I'M BEING VIOLATED!!"