—{The Efficiency Syndicate–Guild}—
—{06:07AM}—
It was still pretty early in the morning yet the guild already had people in it. Hunters were already seated in discussion, clerks were buried in paperwork, and a small crowd had gathered around the guild board.
The morning sun rays break through the window illuminating the Hall. The door, always open and inviting, was crossed by two individuals. Riven and Shirin.
Riven had his hands on his face, with a bag while Shirin was grinning with excitement. Their boots tapped on the marble floor as they walked in. Riven looked down at the floor while Shirin's eyes were wandering around the Hall. Their footsteps were too loud and echoing in the quiet early morning.
No one turned to look in their direction until.
Another set of footsteps followed them. And one, only one clerk looked forward, towards them and saw a tall figure step in behind them, features masked in the early shadows.
The clerk's eyes widened. He nudged another clerk beside him.
Clerk2: He had dark circles over his eyes and was writing down a form when he got nudged, he glanced at the other, "What?" He mutters in a low voice, tired and barely audible.
He noticed where the other clerk was staring and followed his gaze, surprise flares on his face. The figure stepped into the light. Calira.
Calira stepped inside with the cloth over her weapon strapped to her back and hands on her jacket. Standing tall and imposing she walked with rhythm on her steps.
Soon other heads turned to her, and surprise flicker on their faces, but not for all of them. Such as one group of three. Two guys and a girl.
Guy1: He had red hair and brown eyes, with his arms on the table, "She's here again."
Guy2: He had black hair and brown eyes, his skin a bit tainted with a blade tattoo visible on his arm. He didn't say anything, just glanced at the direction.
Girl1: She had hazel hair with light yellow eyes, a butterfly tattoo on her neck. Wearing a light brown Shirt over a grey T-Shirt, and light brown baggy pants. She had a lazy smirk on her face, "Told you. She'd return." She said looking at the first guy.
The three of them had a similar looking badge just above their left chest. They each wore a gold-based badge above their left chest, carved with the Guild's symbol.
She glanced back towards Calira and noticed Riven and Shirin just walking close to her, "Is she with those kids?"
Calira: Walks past Riven and Shirin, standing before the Clerk behind the desk, "Contract GL–447"
Clerk1:"M-ma'am Rustwood? You're... you're taking GL-447?"
Calira: Not looking at them, her eyes were a list of hunters registered at the guild, with her name on the very top at, "The paper. Now."
Clerk1: "R-right away! The, uh, team rating—"
Calira: A single, slow blink in the clerk's direction. Says nothing.
Clerk1: Sweating "--is sufficient. Here you go."
The clerk hands her the documents about the GL–447 quest. Every info about the monster as well as the location of it. While the second one just watched.
Behind her, Shirin nudged Riven and whispered, "Well, she alone is enough for the quest. And noticed the stares we got?"
Hearing that Riven looks around and a surprise flicker on his face, he just now noticed it. And quietly nods to Shirin.
"Let's go." Said Calira as she had already turned to leave.
The moment she entered and left felt too short. Even after her physical absence the guild still had the whispers of her name and the sudden arrivals.
Back to the three golds.
Girl1: Nods to herself, "Yeah, they were with Calira." Her earlier smirk is now replaced by a tiny frown.
Guy1: "What's that face, upset?" raised his eyebrow.
Girl1: "Kinda."
Guy1: "And why so?"
Girl1: "... No apparent reason…" The first guy stared and the second just sigh, "... Could be because she's babysitting instead of sitting here with us."
The first guy groaned while the second said, "She means to say she misses her."
To which she scratched her chin.
—{Outside the Guild}—
—{06:12AM}—
They follow her out in the crisp morning as the whispers from the guild fades in the city's sound.
Walking along the footpath Calira walked ahead while Shirin and Riven were behind her. Shirin took out a silver badge (Same as the gold badge with the guild symbol on it) from her pocket and pinned it on her jacket. She nudged Riven.
Shirin: "Hey, take out your badge."
Riven hurriedly took out his own and pinged it. They were still behind Calira, following her footsteps. Shirin quickened her steps and approached Calira, Riven followed her pace.
"Um, Miss Rustwood. How do we get to the location?" Asked Shirin.
"Train."
—{Train Station}—
—{06:20AM}—
In the train station most of the trains were long and filled with passengers but one specific train was shorter and carried only a few individuals. Including Calira, Riven and Shirin.
Calira had taken an entire triple seat for herself… Whatever in that cloth. While Shirin and Riven sat across from her.
Calira had crossed her arms and legs and was impatiently tapping her foot on the window right next to her. Watching outside the scenery, trees that seemed to fly away and hills running in the opposite direction.
Calira constantly glanced above the window at the sign that said,
"Smoking Not Allowed."
And just above that another sign that said.
"Welcome to The Greyline Express"
Looking up at the both signs Calira lets out a small huff of air. Shirin nudged Riven with her elbow, and Shirin pointed at the object wrapped in cloth beside Calira. They whisper to each other.
Shirin: "Hey, what is that?"
Riven: "How would I know?"
Shirin: "I mean…" She gives him a side eye, "You're a fan of her—"
Riven: "Don't you dare continue…" He raised his finger just inches away from her lip.
Shirin: "Hump…" She gazed back on the object, Calira was viewing the scenery outside. Shirin leans closer to Riven, he doesn't mind it. "Could that be, her sniper…?"
Riven: Paused for a moment and glanced back at the object then back at Shirin, "... No. That's… Too long."
"... Valid reasoning."
Shirin glanced at their sword which was leaning against the seat. And Riven had his palm on his bag that sat between him and the window.
Calira looked around, inside the train and its interior, at the passengers at the next row, then back at the landscape outside. A flicker of familiarity flashes in her eyes and she sat straight and quickly grabbed the object.
Calira: Turned to Riven and Shirin. "Hey, hold tight to your stuff." She glanced outside for another time, then back at them, "We're about to pass through a long tunnel. It'll soon turn dark and if there's any thief on board they'll try to take advantage of the moment."
Both of them quickly grabbed their sword, and Shirin held onto her dagger. Riven held his bag tightly.
Just then everything went dark. The sounds of the train changed. With the darkness and new set of noises everything felt different. Riven and Shirin knew they were sitting next to each other. With their stuff held tightly.
Shirin: Everything was quiet around them. Shirin shook her knee to her right, where Riven was supposed to be and she hit something.
"Riven, is that you?" She asked, looking at the darkness.
"Of course it's me. Are you blind?" Shirin heard a familiar voice responding. And she frowned a bit at the response.
"I… tactically am."
Riven heard a chuckle following the words. And gets smacked on his back.
"Hey, Miss Rustwood."
"Hm?"
"How long is this tunnel? If you know."
"1.2 kilometers. Approx. Won't take much time before we get out."
"Oh…"
"Still got your stuff with you?"
"Y–yeah." "Yea…" Both said at the same time.
Silence… A long one.
"What about that one friend? The one who'd come along with you to the tavern yesterday?"
"J–Jude?"
"Yeah. Why didn't he tag along?"
"Oh, he doesn't actually do missions. He's an alchemist and he was the one to ask for the contract."
"I see…"
Just then the tunnel ended and the train again lit up. They had their stuff held in hand. And the knees of Shirin and Riven touching. They quickly shifted from each other.
Riven had his focus on his bag, Shirin on Calira, Calira at the scenery outside.
Riven looked up from his bag to Calira, and by the corner of his eyes he saw the station through the window.
They had arrived.
—{The Station}—
The moment they got off. Calira lit a cigarette, with her lighter.