[Anaxagoras]
Four days. Four separate stops for refueling, four majour cities traversed across our journey over half of Remnant, and four moments where I'm almost certain the pilot of this fine vessel wanted to strangle me.
...and yet, all of it was worth it for this one, single moment.
Stood in awe at the window, with Summer practically glued to the glass beside me, we finally lay eyes on dense civilisation of Vale for the first time.
All at once, I find my mind failing me for the first time, words stuttering in my throat as we see the jaw-dropping view from skyline.
To the far side of the... city(?), a gorgeous forest of pure red, shouldered by a bustling commercial district and dense residential areas. Overshadowing all the lands, tall enough to damn near touch the sky and situated on the edge of a cliffside is, well...
"...there it is. Beacon Academy." Summer says, her voice small and utterly awed.
Even from this far away, where all you can see is the shadowed silhouette of the absurdly large clocktower and the rest of the academy proper, it paints a distinct image. It looks almost like a castle just as much as a place of education, if I'm being honest.
"Well... it certainly lives up to the image I had in my mind." I mutter, jaw tensing at the sheer size of the academy, feeling strangely small in the face of it all.
Our pilot, clearly not a man with an appreciation for man-made beauty, cuts in with a curt scoff.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, dear customers, but we ain't gonna be going anywhere close to Beacon. I don't have clearance to fly in Beacon airspace, and I quite like my 'scrapheap' to be in one piece, thanks."
Summer sighs, sagging against the window slightly and pressing her face against it as though wishing she could force our craft to veer towards the academy.
"But it's so beautiful! Screw the exams, I wanna get a tour of the place right now." She mutters, her words thankfully very audible after I pulled her off the window by the hood.
"That would be trespassing. I'd rather not try to get into Beacon with a criminal record, Little Light. I'm already at quite the disadvantage as things stand."
She groans in annoyance, muttering something about me being a 'buzzkill' once again and turning away from me, folding her arms with a pout on her lips.
It would be a downright adorable thing to see, if I weren't busy holding myself back from throttling her for that remark about my... mood-killing tendencies.
Thankfully, our pilot once again cuts in before I have any chance of annoying her in some shape or form, looking back at us from his seat in the front with a smirk.
"Look alive, brats, and welcome to the Kingdom of Vale! I'm dropping you off in the commercial district, common practice for us transporters. Gotta drain as much Lien out of you as possible, you see."
Almost as if drawn out by his words, a soft mechanical voice hums out from the Bullhead's audio systems, nothing but a few short words that have a surprising weight to them for Summer and I.
"Now arriving at Sir Carmine Station."
Sir Carmine? Can't say I've ever heard of the man. Must be quite the important fella if he's wound up having an entire station named-
My body lurches forward as we suddenly make proper landing, a hand reaching out to brace myself against the wall, while the other one reaches out to keep Summer held steady by the wrist as she wobbles in place.
She blinks in surprise for a moment, looking up and staring up at me with a thanks on her lips, one that quickly dies down entirely when she notices our close proximity.
I'm then treated to the rather unflattering view of her hood as she throws it over her head, not sparing me another glance as she turns and huffs out a breath, moving to the Bullhead's exit ramp with surprising speed.
Breathing out a sigh of bemused exhaustion, I turn to the pilot and offer a pat to the shoulder and an extra ten Lien for his services as I leave the aircraft.
Paltry compared to the price of this trip, sure, but the gesture of gratitude is what matters to me-
...where is Summer?
I looked away for ten seconds. Not even that. Barely enough time for her to properly get lost or caught up in a crowd, and yet... somehow, I can't see her.
Stepping away from the ramp and leaving the Bullhead proper, glancing hurtiedly between the swathes of people moving to and from their transport at the station, I still can't find a single glimpse of Summer.
How... how is this even possible? She's wearing a pure white cloak, she should stick out like a sore thumb! I don't understand where the hell she could have gone, this-
"Summer!?" I try calling out, pinching the bridge of my nose and hoping to God that a shitty game of Marco Polo will help.
...nothing.
As I should've expected. With a rather annoyed sigh this time, I decide to stop wasting my effort and activate the Eye of Erudition, following the traces of her Aura left behind in the air, my arms folded loosely as I walk through the station.
Every step taken brings with it the exhausting knowledge that this wasn't an accident, or a bad case of crowd brushing. She truly did get excited like an overeager puppy and wandered off without paying a second glance to me.
After the first few minutes of walking, I start to worry that she's making some elaborate attempt to abandon me, one that would come at her own detriment given I'm the one carrying all our Lien.
Station walkways and hurried travellers give way to bustling streets and sprawling commercial district, shops and amenities of all forms now lining either side of the pavement for as far as the eye can see.
Dust, guns, clothing. Anything the man can dream of, available for enough Lien, for anyone to buy. I would say I'd like to make a purchase and test this 'Dust' for myself, but not only do I have a very strict budget, I don't even have any proper form of I.D on me to-
"Wha- hey! You... you can't just kick me out for being a Faunus, I'm a paying customer! I just wanted to buy some new clothes!"
A commotion, coming from across the street. Two people outside of a clothing store, one clearly the owner of said establishment given his on-brand apron, and the other looking far more out of place compared to the Valean people.
Tanned skin, short hair, a black shirt that exposes quite a fair bit of her waist, and matching arm warmers to go with it. On both of her thighs, blending in with the long pants she wears, is a set of gold-trimmed daggers, folded in such a way that I'm almost certain they double as a pair of bladed hand fans.
...and yet, none of what I've listed is the most striking part of her appearance to me.
No, what I find my eye drawn to instead is the distinct feline appendages she has, a long tail that flicks through the air in tune with her irritation, and a surprisingly large pair of ears atop her head.
Indeed, it seems this lady is a cat Faunus. One that is making quite the commotion.
For a moment, I almost think to ignore their conflict entirely and continue on the search for Summer's infuriatingly agile self, spare myself the trouble and move on, but...
Damn you, my bleeding heart.
"Don't care, lady. My shop, my rules. I don't make a habit of letting animals into my store during business hours-"
"Then maybe you'll serve a human instead, good sir." I say, cutting in as smoothly as I can and placing a hand in front of the cat-lady to stop her from bringing out the claws.
The man pauses, his eyes immediately taking in my appearance with something akin to disgust as he looks me up and down.
"You a friend of this thing, freak?" He asks, his voice all but dripping with derision as he gestures to the woman behind me, then focuses his gaze on my eyepatch.
The cat-lady bristles at that word, thing, taking another step forward and halfway to raising her voice again before my hand holds her back once more.
All the while, I find myself marvelling at the sheer difference in treatment of Faunus between the Kingdoms and the lands surrounding them.
"I'm a man that doesn't want to see you lose out on good money. Let's make a deal, shall we? I'll walk in, buy what this lady wants, and give it to her when I'm finished. You get the Lien, you get the satisfaction of making money, and you don't have to worry about her stepping foot inside. You both win."
Cat-lady once again opens her mouth to say something, no doubt along the lines of it not being fair that such a compromise need be made at all. Fortunately, she doesn't get a chance. Unfortunately, it's because the owner of this establishment is scoffing at me again as though I were a madman.
"Really? What do you take me for, some kind of moron? I've got standards to keep, buddy. If word gets around that I'm selling to Faunus, all of her little subhuman friends are gonna scurry here as well, and I'll lose half my customers in the blink of an eye."
My lungs heave out another exhausted sigh, something that is unfortunately becoming rather common for me.
My hand then tightens in the collar of the cat-lady's shirt to make sure she really doesn't try to stab this man, because holy fuck is he not hiding his distaste for her kind. Seems like this can't be solved with just a simple compromise, huh?
...fine then. I'm not above cheating when the moment calls for it.
Without an ounce of hesitation, I open the Eye once more and let it paint the world around me in binary code and that same incessant clicking as always, probing his argument for Weaknesses.
Moss Cariner
Level: 7
Commotion. Word spreading. Business at risk. Rising debt. Faunus need.
"Oh, come on now. You and I both know you can't afford to be pushing away customers, especially with the way your profit margins are looking these days." I say, placing a hand to his shoulder now as I speak, Moss looking almost shaken at the action.
Is this some form of intimidation? Maybe. I don't know nearly enough about the laws of Vale to say whether or not that's the case.
"You're barely breaking even, and if you keep this up then you might not even have the luxury of holding those standards of yours for very long. Besides, don't you think that word has already spread? You two have made quite the scene, after all."
His eyes dart between myself and the busy streets around us, something akin to panic flashing through his gaze as he stares at me like one would a creature in human skin.
"How... how do you know all of this?" Moss asks, his voice trembling ever so slightly as I tighten my hold on his shoulder in response. The cat-lady looks downright awed now.
"Don't bother asking how I know. Ask yourself what you can do instead. You have eyes on you now, and a chance to set a precedent for your humble shop. Business is lacking, you need Lien. Time to make a choice. What would you rather? Your standards, and a few customers a month? Or swallowing down your scorn, and accepting Faunus into your establishment instead? I'll give you a hint: only one option will put food on your table."
It's as if my words have a tangible effect on the man. Slowly, the gears turn in his mind, his expression becoming downright pained as he glances between cat-lady and I several times over.
"Prejudice ain't good for business, Mister. If you need the customers, then Faunus might just start flocking to this little place of yours if they hear you let me in." Cat-lady says, utter smugness in her expression as she speaks.
Moss grits his teeth, taking a deep breath to calm himself... and then he steps away and allows the woman entry into his shop.
I pull my hand away from her collar the instant he does so, having almost forgotten I was holding her back this whole time. Said woman doesn't hesitate to saunter into the store immediately after, her tail flicking once again, though this time in amusement.
The second she passes by us and through the doors, Moss hisses as though pained, looking to me again with a grimace.
"You happy, brat?" He asks.
I can't help but snort in response, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.
"Me? I don't much care, to be honest. I just figured I'd help someone that needed it." I say, turning away from the man and leaving one last comment before heading back on the search for Summer.
"Between the two of us, you're the one that should be happy. After all, you've got yourself a new customer, and hopefully a lot more yet to come. Bankruptcy is just that little bit further away. Go on now, Moss. The lady is waiting for you."
I don't bother sticking around to hear his response to my words. Instead, I get right back to walking through the streets of Vale and chasing after those white streaks in the air that my Eye can faintly see.
Minutes pass in this same rhythm. I begin to feel as though I'm chasing a ghost, like she's deliberately leading me on the most absurd path imaginable.
The sheer weight of this problem sinks in even further almost immediately when I remember that Summer and I have absolutely no knowledge of Vale, no way of navigating the city, and no form of technology to remedy that.
She could very well be lost for all I know. Actually, no- she is lost. I can almost guarantee that, knowing her.
I've heard Scrolls exist as this world's equivalent to the phones I was more acquainted with, which might have been useful to stay in contact over distance, but I've also heard they cost upwards of a few hundred Lien a piece- point being, we're far too broke to afford that.
...I really am going to have to spend my day searching far and wide for her.
Oh, the things that I do for my friends... Friend. Singular. You're lucky I've come to care quite deeply for you in our time together, Summer. Otherwise, I might just have left you to your own-
"Hey! Hey you there, hold on- stop walking!"
I pauce in stunned silence at the familiar voice behind me, one I should most definitely recognise given how recently I heard it. For a moment, I consider the possibility that she's talking about someone else... but I know my luck isn't that good.
Biting back that same urge to sigh I always find myself feeling, I turn around and watch as the cat-lady skids to a stop on the ground in front of me, kicking up a small cloud of dust and grinning apologetically at me as dissipates into the air.
"Oh- uh... sorry, sorry. Guess I got a little bit caught up trying to catch you, huh? You're one hell of a fast walker, Mister." She says, her smile wide and her voice deceptively sweet.
She's got weapons held on her person in broad daylight. Quite fast, too. Must be an Awakened- no, not just that, but a Huntsmen Academy student. Given the time frame, I'd wager she's prospective rather than official.
...I really don't know why I bothered trying to understand her character with inference and observation when I have access to my Eye.
"You clearly must have something quite important to say if you followed me so diligently. Go on, then. Out with it." I say, glancing at the large shopping bags hanging off her elbows before meeting her gaze once more.
She flushes in embarrassment at my comments on her eagerness to speak again, scratching her cheek and struggling to meet my gaze, a shakey laugh leaving her lips.
For a moment, I almost think this is some bizarre cliché, that she's flushed and embarassed like some simpering schoolgirl and has fallen hopelessly in love with me after a single chance encounter... but no, she really is just that embarrassed over her public conduct. It's almost endearing.
"Well... I guess it is pretty important, yeah. I just wanted to say thanks. You didn't have to try and help me, but you did. That was really nice of you, so... thanks. Again."
Her ears flatten as she speaks. I have to bite back the visceral urge to reach out and scratch at them, reminding myself several times over that these Faunus are people and would absolutely not appreciate a stranger getting so handsy with their animal-bits.
"You're making it sound like I saved you from some hopeless situation; all I did was have a conversation with the man. Don't go blowing smoke up my ass."
Cat-lady scoffs, lips curled in a slight smile as she folds her arms and rolls her eyes.
"Doesn't matter how impressive it was, or if I was being held at gunpoint, Mister. What matters to me is that you saw a Faunus who needed help, and didn't hesitate to step in. That's a rare quality these days, you know?"
I raise a brow at her, disbelieving, but I'm sure as shit not going to tell the Faunus how her own people are being treated. It's not like I'd know any better than her, after all.
"I'll take your word for it. I appreciate the thanks, at least... God, this whole debacle certainly hasn't made for the best first impression of Vale, if I'm being honest." I groan out, running a hand down my head.
The second I say those words though, almost in an instant, her eyes light up. Her fists lift to her chest, excitement brimming from every inch of her body as her tail flicks around sporadically.
And then she starts talking...
"You're new to Vale as well!? Oh, please tell me you're here for the Beacon exams too! I've been wondering for so long if I'll meet anyone in my year group, or if I've not been looking hard enough, or if I'll even find anyone wanting to speak with me because of... you know, but I'm so glad to finally have someone that can understand what it's like to be new in this Kingdom! I came here from Menagerie myself, all the way down South, and a lot of the lifestyle there is far more frugal than what I've been seeing here so it's been really difficult adjusting. Oh, but it's also been a lot of fun! I've been practicing day in and day out in the gyms alloted for Aura wielders, and all the different places to buy things has left me utterly astonished as well- I mean, an entire store for shoes!? I still can't believe it! The Dust here is so affordable as well, it's like a dream-"
...uh-huh.
"-because buying so much Dust for the Steel Haze has always been my least favourite part of wielding them since they just chew through the stuff. Oh, but don't get me wrong, I love these little things, they're my favourite part about training to be a Huntress - oh, that and the Aura, obviously - but the maintenance has always been such a nightmare to handle. Somedays I almost wish I had been one of those lucky Faunus that manifested claws as their ancestral Trait so I could skip having a weapon entirely, but instead all I got was this lousy old tail and-"
...uh-huh.
"-the ears to go with them. I guess they serve their uses occasionally, and the enhanced senses are always something worth appreciating, but some days I do wish I had a pair of claws so I could scratch at people whenever they get on my nerves- Oh! Where are my manners? I'm terribly sorry, I must have bored you half to death before I've even introduced myself!"
...jesus fucking christ woman, your lung capacity is worthy of legend. Not that I'd ever say that out loud.
Instead, I clear my throat and fold my arms as I respond to her.
"Not quite bored, but... definitely shocked. I think I got the basics, though. You're new here, want to attend Beacon, you're worried about making friends and astonished at the availability of certain things here in Vale. You... like your weapon, wish you had better Faunus traits, and come from Menagerie? I think that was everything, right?"
If such a thing were possible, her excitement grows even further at the fact that I actually listened to her rambling. Either this woman really doesn't get the chance to speak with people that will let her talk very often, or she's incredibly easy to please.
"Oh, I think you and I are going to get along just wonderfully, Mister! Kali Purpurea, Huntress in training - hopefully a student of Beacon Academy in the next few weeks - and you are?" She asks, grinning from ear to ear all the while.
I can't help but notice that she's not made a comment on my eyepatch yet. Either she's trying to be tactful, or she feels some form of sympathy for me when it comes to being defined by physical traits.
...or maybe I'm just looking way too far into things like always.
"Anaxa. No last name, don't bother asking. It's a very long story involving amnesia, exile, and a whole lot of Grimm. Pleased to meet you as well, Kali." I say, activating my Eye just a moment later to gauge her strength as a prospective Beacon student.
Kali Purpurea
Level: 46
Hm. It's as I suspected, then. Summer truly is a cut above the rest when it comes to her power. Either Lady Maria was that much of an exceptional teacher, or Summer's one hell of a gifted fighter. Probably both.
"No last name and amnesia? Oh, you're just swimming in mystery, aren't you Anaxa?" Kali purrs out, her smile turning almost coy as she looks me up and down for a moment.
"I'd rather have no last name than be named Purpurea. I mean, seriously, the irony is damn near palpable. A cat Faunus, named pur-pur? Your family set you up for failure." I say, thoroughly unimpressed.
Almost immediately, that teasing demeanour she held for just a few seconds vanishes like smoke, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment once more.
"It- my family name was supposed to be based on the poisonous flower! You know... like an assassin, silent but deadly, and... oh, now I just sound silly!" She laments, head in her hands and tail curled up against her leg.
I don't even bother trying to hide my laughter from Kali now as she wallows in utter despair, something she takes great offense to it seems.
Her surprisingly well-manicured finger damn near blurs to be just an inch away from my nose, her tail stiffening and a glower on her face as she looks up at me.
"Don't. You. Dare. You're not in any positions to be making fun of my name, Mister. Besides, Purpurea is a name of dignity, and intelligence, and power, and- and... please stop laughing at me."
I don't stop laughing at her. Several seconds of my quiet snickering in the Valean streets pass, people giving us strange glances as they walk by. Kali's finger slowly drops down, embarrassment worsening by the second.
It wasn't even that funny. Of course it wasn't. I'm just hamming it up because her reactions are quite funny.
Does this make me an asshole? Maybe.
"Oh, you- you're being so mean! All I wanted was to make a new friend with another Beacon student, and now I wish I never did!" She says, her lip trembling as she pouts.
A moment later though, and her demeanour shifts again in the blink of an eye, the cat-lady now looking at me skeptically.
"...come to think of it, you never did tell me if you were applying to Beacon or not. Please tell me I've not made a fool of myself."
Once again, I find myself smiling at her.
"Oh, no. Don't you worry, Kali, you've absolutely made a fool of yourself. Not that I'm complaining. This has been quite the fun little conversation, in all honesty. Oh, and for the record, yes. I am hoping to attend Beacon Academy soon. If all goes well, we might be seeing a lot more of eachother."
Her expression shifts from overwhelming mortification to a surprising amount of giddiness as I speak. Her eyes, still shining with an almost cartoonish gleam to them, suddenly glance around the street we're on.
"If that's the case, then... do you mind if I ask what you're here for? I've been browsing the local markets myself to buy anything I might need for the exams and the induction, but I've been quite overwhelmed by it all. Do you happen to have any advice?"
Again, I laugh at her words, at the mental imagery of this small cat-woman meekly looking around the city and hopelessly going from shop to shop with a checklist for Beacon.
"I've not yet gotten to that stage, truthfully. I've only actually been here in Vale for the better part of twenty minutes, I just came here with my friend Summer to... to..."
Ah, fuck.
"Hm? To do what? Is something wrong, Anaxa? You've gone quiet all of a sudden." Kali asks, concerned for my sake now.
Almost immediately, my hand comes down onto her shoulder and is gone just as quickly in some form of goodbye gesture; my words rushed and feet already moving away from the woman just a moment later as I speak.
"Sorry, truly I am- it's been a pleasure to meet you, Kali, but I have- I need to find Summer before she gets even more lost and I'm already at a disadvantage- sorry again, and I hope to see you at Beacon!"
I shout the words at her from over my shoulder, not sparing her a second glance and all but sprinting away down the street to chase those vestiges of Summer's Aura.
The last thing I catch from Kali is a few mumbled words as she watches me leave.
"Well, you could... maybe give me your CCT number, then? To... to stay in contact?"
------------------------------------
[Summer Rose]
...I may have done a bad thing.
In my defense, I was really interested in seeing what Vale has to offer! All the different vendors, the insane number of people here, the gorgeous views from every angle- it's wonderful!
I've never seen anything like this place in my life, and I was certainly not gonna let that... that big dunderhead Anaxa stop me from exploring it to the fullest, that's for sure.
Stupid Anaxa. Always so damn uptight. So cautious. So goody-two-shoes.
Oh, Summer, you can't jump off a cliff and hope your Aura will save you! Oh, Summer, you can't join an underground fighting ring to make boatloads of Lien for our journey! Oh, Summer, you can't go explore Beacon before being made an official student!
He's lucky he's cute.
Still annoyed at him, though. I mean, seriously! What kind of idiot snuggles up to a girl, holds her hand for hours during such a tender moment, and then backs away for almost half a week straight afterwards and doesn't even try to follow up on that!?
That jackass should be grateful I even held his hand in the first place, and that I didn't say a word about how... how sweaty his palms were! Yeah, I should've humiliated him for it! Should've laughed at him- oh, I can just imagine his reaction now...
A raised brow, that same little smirk he always has on his dumb, stupid face as he looks down at me.
"...Summer, you do realise that your palm was just as sweaty as mine was that day, right? You're being awfully evasive about that particular detail. I understand that this is your own fantasy and not an actual conversation, but please don't go rewriting history for your sake-"
Oh, stop being so damn reasonable! This is supposed to be my imagination, not yours! And that's not true, either! I was perfectly fine and completely composed the entire time, I didn't even break a sweat!
"...uh-huh. Sure thing, Little Light."
Shut up, just- just shut up! Ugh, even my own brain is against me now, I can't take this! Oh, plus I'm gonna be in for an earful when Patchy eventually finds me again, and...
Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. I'm lost.
Well, not lost, technically. More like... navigationally challenged. Yeah, that's about right. I'm just having trouble moving through the streets of Vale, that's all.
All these damn buildings, all the people, it's overwhelming me. I grew up on an island for crying out loud, the most people I'd see at any given time was like... four! At a push!
It feels like I've been going in circles for the last twenty minutes, but I know that can't be the case because then dear old Patchy would have found me long ago-
"Oof!"
Two voices ring out, my own and that of another passerby on the street as I collide into them while lost in my own thoughts.
My body falls to the ground, cloak tangled up beneath me and a hiss of pain leaving my lips as I blink away the shock. When I next look up though, I can't help but be surprised at what I see.
"Forgive me, Madame. Are you alright?"
Staring down at me with a surprisingly gentle smile on his face, looking almost entirely unphased by the contact and offering a hand for me to help myself up with, is a man I've never laid eyes on before.
He's only just a few years older than me if I had to guess. He also seems... painfully ordinary, in all honesty.
A regular old duster, a regular white shirt, regular brown hair. Nothing that really stands out aside from a patch of stubble under his chin and the... woah, is that a scorpion tail hidden behind his belt!?
No, Summer. Not the time. Just because he's a cool Faunus with a cool as hell tail doesn't mean you get to be an asshole.
...At that thought, I can't help but feel a slight stab of guilt run through my chest for all but bashing into him because of my negligence, taking the offered hand and letting him lift me to my feet as I speak.
"Yeah, just fine, thanks! Sorry about that, I guess I've been really scatterbrained lately." I say, laughing away the embarrassment and biting back the urge to pull up my hood.
Mere inches separate the two of us now as I stand back at full height. I try to pull myself away from him, to take a few steps back.
The stranger's grip doesn't falter.
My laughter becomes forced. Panic turns to confusion. Confusion turns to worry. Every second that passes only makes the feeling worsen as I continue to try and step away.
The stranger pays no mind to it, instead he just leans in ever so slightly closer, his gaze unblinking as he stares down at me.
"You have... beautifuleyes, Madame. A fitting match for your porcelain skin. Are you perhaps... a Huntress in training? You look like one." He says, slowly, my heart stopping for just a second as the words register.
The stranger either doesn't notice my panic, or doesn't care for it whatsoever.
"Ah... pardon me. Where are my manners? Feldgrau Rusalin, a humble clerk for the Valean City Hall. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms..."
He still hasn't even blinked yet, staring down at me with those wide, golden eyes.
My mouth suddenly feels dry, words falling silent on my lips as he just... stares, waiting for me to give him my name. The hairs on the back of my neck begin to stand as he-
"Summer! There you are- bloody hell woman, I've been looking all over for you!"
Patchy - my guardian angel who I promise to never insult again - finally appears from behind me and makes himself known, causing the stranger to instantly grimace.
Anaxa must have immediately noticed how thoroughly uncomfortable I am right now, because he doesn't hesitate to lift me by the hood and pull me away from Feldgrau's hand, going so far as to use his Aura to make sure the man can't keep hold of me as he separates us.
Then, almost as quickly as he came, Anaxa turns sharply and pulls me along beside him back through the bustling street, his eyepatch burning ever so slightly at the edges as he looks me up and down.
"Sorry I was late. Had I known you were in such a position, I'd have been a lot quicker. Are you alright, Summer?"
If Anaxa notices the way I lean against him after that encounter, he doesn't say anything about it. Instead, he just takes my hand into his own and somehow, somehow, I feel that much less worried because of it.
"...yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. That guy, Feldgrau, he was a little weird, but he didn't hurt me." I say, trying desperately to shove down the tremor in my voice as I look up at him, doing my best to smile.
"One hell of a warm reception, huh? Welcome to Vale, I guess-"
"Ahem."
The sound of a throat being cleared echoes out on the street, coming from behind us. The rest of the world feels silent now, as if the three of us are the only ones alive.
Anaxa stops immediately. He turns on the spot, glancing at Feldgrau over his shoulder and keeping his free hand open at his side, something I've come to learn means he's ready to summon his weapon if need be.
Patchy doesn't say a word. Just watches, patiently, as Feldgrau takes a few steps closer, stopping his slow stride the second he sees Anaxa's fingers twitch at his side.
...and then, Feldgrau speaks again.
"In case you couldn't tell, I was having a conversation with that woman. I don't remember asking you to interrupt me."
Anaxa scoffs instantly.
"That's not for you decide, I'm afraid. Besides, we've got quite a busy schedule. Don't have much time to waste, you see."
Feldgrau seems to find Patchy's response funny. I mean really, really funny, because he starts laughing hoarsely beneath his breath.
Several seconds pass of him just... giggling, staring at us and giggling like a child.
"Is that so?" He finally croaks out, stifling his laughter and wiping away a tear, not giving Patchy a chance to respond before he continues speaking.
"Fine, then. Another time, hm?" Feldgrau says, his eyes flickering purple for just a brief moment as he looks at us.
Anaxa sighs in relief, no doubt wanting to be as far away from this conversation as possible, but doesn't make it very far before that creepy bastard offers us one last word.
"Oh, and before you leave... you should take better care of yourself, Summer. Make sure to watch where you're going in the future."
Anaxa opens his mouth, just about scowling by this point, but the effort is wasted.
Before he can even say anything in response though, Feldgrau turns away and vanishes into the crowd in the blink of an eye, leaving us both stood there.
"...one hell of a creepy fucker, that one. Can't say I like that he knows your name now." He mutters, dragging a hand down his head.
"Could be worse, right? Rather a creep than a serial killer, I guess." I mumble, trying to inject some form of humour into the conversation.
Anaxa isn't having any of it. He looks at me, his lips flat and his face set in a scowl, before turning away and sighing, bringing me along with him as we finally move to the hotel.
His hand never once pulls away from mine, probably to keep me close and make sure I don't get in any sort of danger.
I'd be lying if I said I was complaining about that.