Here’s the last comic for follower week! A little late yes ;v; But this prompt was from @zelly-fangirl who suggested a comic about Mithos infinitely kicking Yuan! Another classic moment!
Really though, Lloyd has every right to join in - Yuan hasn’t exactly been a “friend” to him :x
Click HERE to check out more Tales of comics, including more Tales of Symphonia!
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In Mexico it's still July 7th, and even when it was a quick, I wanted to make something for this day ❤️✨ I re-used the papers from the past year bc yeah hahaha hope you like it 💜✨
💜❤️✨¡FELIZ TANABATA 2024!✨❤️💜
En México todavía es 7 de julio, y aunque fue rápido, quise hacer algo para este día ❤️✨ Reutilicé los papeles del año pasado porque sí jajaja espero que les guste 💜✨
TALES OF VESPERIA: GENEALOGY OF THE CONDEMNED (NOVELA LIGERA, LIBRO 1)
TALES OF VESPERIA: GENEALOGY OF THE CONDEMNED (NOVELA LIGERA, LIBRO 1)
Buenas noches gente, con el permiso del jefecito, les comparto el libro 1 de 2 de las novelas ligeras de Tales of Vesperia: Danzaisha no Keifu, que narran la vida de Yuri y Flynn antes de los sucesos del juego. Este primer libro se enfoca en cómo se conocieron Yuri y Flynn a los 7 años, y todas las cosas que tuvieron que pasar de pequeños antes de llegar a tener la amistad que conocemos.
Con el permiso de delicate que hizo la traducción en inglés y de transflynnscifo que subió las ilustraciones, hice un archivo PDF con mi traducción al español de este primer libro, intenté hacerlo de la manera más profesional posible, y lo más que pido es que no la distribuyan fuera del grupo por respeto a las personas que la compraron y apoyaron para que pudieramos leerla de este lado del mundo <3 y respetar los créditos del trabajo. Sin más, ¡espero que la disfruten!
CRÉDITOS
Traducción en inglés: delicatemusickingdom
Traducción en español: xHimemikoYukix
XHimemikoYukix. 828 likes · 4 talking about this. Página oficial de facebook de xHimemikoYukix, espero que les guste n.n
Fanfiction: https:
Ilustraciones: transflynnscifo
LINK DE DESCARGA: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a1aJPM85Um1qyPuEX49c_t59ynz44BPB/view?usp=sharing
Summer was in full swing. The sunlight was strong, and the shadows casted were thick.
Not only was it humid and unpleasant in the lower quarter, but it also meant danger. Increased humidity and high temperatures meant food went bad easily. Based on their many past experiences with the plague, the residents of the lower quarter have — not just during this season — tried to maintain cleanliness in the lower quarter as much as possible. It was unpleasant work, almost proportionately so to the effort spent, but it had to be done anyway.
Fortunately, they had water. It had happened not long after the ‘River Escapade’ incident. Without any warning — just like before when it had been cut off — the waterfall had started to flow again. The lower quarter was once again able to obtain safe, clear water — and with it came back the job of fetching water.
‘River Escapade’. That was what Yuri and the other boys called that incident. Jareth and the others seemed to like the somewhat cryptic phrasing, but Yuri could only hear the irony and thus the appropriateness of the name.
Since then, they hadn’t gone ‘outside’, or encountered any incidents worthy of mentioning.
The only thing that had changed since then was Flynn. Yuri had begun to see Flynn in places outside of the vicinity of his house. He didn’t know if it was because Flynn just happened to be heading in his direction, or it was only because of their visits to his house before that Flynn had started to avoid being seen. When Yuri did see him, he was usually in the middle of an errand, so the only words they managed to exchange were casual greetings. Even so, there was a certain sort of ease to him, something that was never there before.
Even though Jareth and the other boys weren’t that friendly that they would ask Flynn to hang out with them, they would still call out to him whenever they saw him on the streets. It hadn’t been worth the risk, but there was no doubt that Flynn had won them over by putting his life on the line for them.
Other than that, the days should have returned to how they were before — but Yuri was different.
What Jiri had told him, what lay beyond those words — it had to be there — lingered in his heart for a long time, swirling in an endless vortex. The vortex was chaotic, and all sorts of things were swirling inside, but no matter how hard he strained his eyes, he couldn’t discern anything concrete in it. The feeling of seeing something within reach, but not being able to touch it was frustrating, and it irritated Yuri.
What should I do?
What did I lack? —Why did I do what I did?
I can ignore this, and continue to live my life as I’ve always been — but I don’t want to. I don’t know why. But I have a feeling that I'd be doing something wrong if I did that.
I don’t know what I want to do, but I have a strong feeling of needing to do something.
What do I need to be able to do something?
Strength.
What is strength? I don’t know.
He remembered the time he had challenged the demonic wolves. Those eyes. Those fangs. Fear. Pain. Death.
Back then, all he had in his hand was a tiny axe. It had been lost along with the monsters — and he had gotten a harsh scolding for that later — but even using something like that, he had been able to defeat them.
Before he knew it, the image in his mind had changed from an axe in his hand to a stick. The monster’s fur turned golden, and its appearance changed from a wolf to a boy.
Flynn. Come to think of it, that may have been the first time I’d ever confronted someone with such seriousness. And the first time I’d ever felt such a sense of defeat.
Neither memory felt anything close to the elation of victory.
Strength.
Is that how it is? It doesn’t seem that simple, but still, I feel like I should start there first.
As if waking from a dream, Yuri began walking aimlessly. He left the streets and headed for the towering castle walls. The gentle slope suddenly became steeper, extending straight to the top of the castle walls.
Let’s head for the ‘other side of the wall’. To the citizens’ quarter. The market.
****
In this world called Terca Lumireis, its one and only ruler was the ‘Empire’. Zaphias was its capital, and in other words, it served as the heart of commercial distribution.
The imperial capital is separated into three layers. The widest part of the middle layer was right in the heart of the heart of the citizens' quarter’s market, where people came and went the most. From permanent shops to street stalls, it had shops in all kinds of shapes and sizes, selling all kinds of — technically legal — goods. It was rumoured that you could sometimes obtain goods normally regulated by the authorities, like blastia
Yuri had arrived at one of those marketplaces. There were passersby who openly grimaced when they saw he was a child from the lower quarter, and some of them even spoke in a sarcastic tone loud enough for him to hear, but he was used to it and ignored them. What he had to be careful of was attracting too much attention to himself and having that be used as a pretext for a fight. In the unlikely event a fight did break out, he’d be at a disadvantage, and the knights would come running to crack down on such disturbances. It went without saying whose side they would take in the matter.
Eventually Yuri arrived in the place he was looking for. You’d think the place would be filled with energetic calls from stallowners, but there were some who didn’t feel up to it and just sat there silently. But even though they conducted themselves differently, the goods they dealt with were all the same — weapons. Some blades were polished and gleamed with a keen edge, some were rusty and chipped. Like the stall owners, the variety was diverse, yet all they sold were weapons. This was how it was like in this corner of the marketplace.
Even if the residents here abhorred his presence, Yuri had taken a liking to this place. He’d often stop by here whenever he had errands to do in the citizens’ quarter. When he looked at weapons, he’d always feel an indescribable, unexplainable sense of euphoria — though in that regard, Jareth and the other boys were pretty much the same.
But today, Yuri’s attitude was different from the previous times he had come to browse. He looked carefully at each and every sword that caught his eye. When he was lucky enough not to be rejected, he’d even pick them up and give them a few swings. After visiting several stalls in this manner, Yuri noticed something familiar in the crowd. On the opposite side of the bustling street, he could catch glimpses of golden hair in the crowd from time to time — there was no mistaking it. It was Flynn.
Did he come here with the same purpose in mind? Yuri weaved his way through the crowd, chasing after him. Flynn ran from the main street into one of the more deserted side streets. Unlike the crowded main street, there were less people here, and the sunlight was poor. Though this was a corner of the citizens’ quarter, Yuri knew that in a place like this, the people and goods involved were bound to be somewhat shady. What is he doing in a place like this?
After turning a few corners, Flynn stopped in front of a lone street vendor. Then, with an intent gaze, he stared at the wares lined up for sale. No, he wasn’t looking at them with such a gentle gaze. His gaze was boring intently into a single item. He showed no signs of noticing the approaching Yuri. What kind of lucky find did he stumble upon? Curious, Yuri followed Flynn’s gaze, and tilted his head.
It was indeed a sword. However, it was quite small, and in comparison to the other swords lined up around it, it looked like a toy. Additionally, its making was crude. Even an amateur like Yuri could tell its value was insignificant. But Flynn was staring at it silently.
“Hey you, you’re getting in the way of my business. If you’re not going to buy anything, scram. You’re an eyesore.”
The disgruntled voice of the street vendor brought Yuri back to his senses. But Flynn continued to stand there, entranced.
“Flynn, hey, Flynn—”
Startled by Yuri’s voice, Flynn looked up. He looked surprised to see Yuri standing right beside him.
“Yu…ri?
Sensing the street vendor’s growing irritation, Yuri grabbed Flynn — who was still in a daze, by the arm and dragged him away. He forcibly pulled him away from the stall, only letting go after they were a short distance away.
“That hurt.”
Yuri felt exasperated seeing Flynn frown.
“Hey. Don’t space out in a place like that if you don’t intend to buy anything. If you’re not careful they’ll call the knights on you.”
Perhaps in response to the word ‘knight’, for a moment, that same grim look flitted across Flynn’s face, before vanishing right away. It was replaced by a gloomy expression.
“You’re… right. It’s as you say.”
In the face of that terribly meek and unexpected response, Yuri was so surprised he was at a loss for words.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but you were looking at it quite intently. Did you really like that sword that much?”
“……y sword.”
Flynn’s murmur was so quiet Yuri had to ask him again.
“What did you say?”
“That’s my sword.”
For a moment, Yuri didn’t understand what Flynn was talking about, and looked back and forth between the street vendor’s and Flynn’s face. But Flynn looked serious. It was the same serious expression that he occasionally showed on his face.
“I’m not lying. That is my sword, or to be more accurate, that was my sword.”
The story was simple. When they left the citizens’ quarter, Flynn and his mother had no choice but to part with many of their belongings. He wasn’t sure where or how it came into circulation, but that sword was one of those very items.
And it seemed to be a very important item to Flynn, too. His expression, voice, eyes, all conveyed that. So it was a lucky find for him. I see.
“I just happened to see it last week when I was passing by. I couldn’t believe it myself, but… There’s no mistaking it. That’s the sword I was given.”
As for who exactly had given it to Flynn, Yuri decided not to ask. He had noticed that the sword had a similar design to the ones the knights carried around. Its small size was probably because it was made to order for a child.
It may have been a coincidence at first, but Flynn had probably visited this stall many times after he’d found the sword — it was a miracle that he hadn’t been chased away until now.
“So?”
“Huh?”
“Are you satisfied with just looking at it?”
“……”
Flynn silently hung his head. Seeing that, Yuri sighed.
“How much is it?”
“One hundred forty.”
He was clearly being overcharged. Yuri didn’t know much about weapons, but after seeing items from other stores and their prices, he didn’t think the sword was worth that much. It was most likely harassment because Flynn was a child from the lower quarter.
“I only have seventy. That merchant will be there for the rest of the week, but he’ll be going to another city after that. It’s impossible to save up the rest of the money before then.”
“Then you can’t give up. It’s important to you, right?”
“……”
Silence again.
Strength. Sword. Money.
Various factors intertwined and connected together in Yuri’s head, giving rise to a single answer — a very simple one.
Good grief. I’m about to start something strange again.
“……Wait here for a bit.”
Sensing something different in Yuri’s tone, Flynn gave him a dubious look.
“Hey, don’t tell me you’re going to steal…”
“Idiot. If I really did that here, I wouldn't get away lightly. Just listen to me and wait here.”
After saying that, without waiting for a reply, Yuri broke into a run. Even as he stepped out into the main street, he took advantage of his child’s physique to slip through the intermingling crowd without once slowing down.
In the blink of an eye he had reached the outskirts of the citizens’ quarter, where the gate set in the castle walls was. From there, he ran down the long, downhill slope that stretched towards the lower quarter, not stopping by the side a single time.
He ran like the wind, through the streets, without looking left or right. The people he passed by called out to him, curious as to why he was going so fast, but he didn’t have time to spare and just ran. And ran.
He finally arrived at ‘My Home’. He immediately went inside and went straight for the shelf where he placed all his belongings. Ignoring the items on the shelf, he stuck his fingers into the gap behind it. He put more force into it, and the shelf moved a little, leaving a fist-sized gap between it and the wall. He stuck his hand in and quickly pulled it back out. In his hand was a small pouch covered in dust.
After confirming its weight, Yuri gave a small nod.
“Alright.”
Yuri gripped his bag tightly and turned around, heading back with the same speed as when he’d come here.
****
Enduring the piercing glares directed at him as a child from the lower quarter, Flynn waited in the marketplace alone, just as Yuri told him to.
Just how far did he go? And what exactly did he leave to do?
He turned around and looked through the crowd of people, his eyes landing on the street vendor from before. Even if this was a back street that people hardly visited, he was still worried that the sword would be sold while he wasn’t looking. Even though he didn’t have the money to buy it, he couldn’t help but be interested in it.
This might be the last time I ever see it. I don't care if the owner treats me rudely, so let’s look at it one more time—
With that thought in mind, he started to move. But just then, a head of familiar black hair appeared around the corner in front of him. The person was breathing heavily, shoulders heaving, and they looked as if they were going collapse at any moment.
“Yuri, where in the world did you…”
“Sorry, to, keep, you, waiting.”
Yuri’s chest heaved up and down as he spoke. He was clearly out of breath. He opened the pouch in his hand and peered into it. Okay, this should be enough to make it work.
“Now, give me, all of, your money.”
Yuri gasped for air as he spoke in a tone that brooked no questions. Flynn obeyed him without thinking, dropping all the coins he had into Yuri’s outstretched palm.
Yuri took the coins and put them in his pouch. The sound of metal striking metal echoed softly.
“Let’s go.”
“Go? Where?”
But Yuri had already started walking. Flynn hurriedly chased after him.
For the second time that day, the two of them stood in front of the street vendor. Just like Flynn had seen, the vendor hadn’t sold anything since then, let alone the sword. Perhaps because of that, the shopkeeper looked even more disgruntled than before. When he saw that the boys from the lower quarter were here again, he gave them a very annoyed look.
“You guys again? I don’t entertain window shoppers. When people like you loiter around, decent customers won’t want to get close.”
Apparently he was hinting that it was Yuri and Flynn’s fault that he wasn’t able to sell anything. Yuri ignored him and crouched down in front of the row of wares. He pointed at the sword.
“Hey, uncle, you’re selling this for a hundred and forty?”
“Hm? Ah, yeah, I guess so. Yeah, that’s right, a hundred forty. No discounts, not even one Gald less. Go on, shoo, don’t touch my merchandise with your dirty hands.”
The vendor spoke curtly and waved his hand like he was driving away a fly.
“We’re buying it.”
“What?”
“Here you go, one hundred and forty Gald!”
Saying that, Yuri took his pouch and spilled its contents everywhere. Coins of various sizes flew into the air all at once.
The moment the shocked vendor’s eyes were drawn to the spectacle, Yuri grabbed the sword.
“Catch, Flynn—”
Yuri threw the sword at Flynn. Flynn instinctively caught it before he noticed what it was, and his eyes widened.
“Huh?”
“Hm, wha-? H-Hey, you!”
Flynn and the vendor’s cries were drowned out by the ringing sound of coins falling onto the ground.
At the same moment, Yuri started to run. Flynn’s gaze darted back and forth between Yuri’s back, the vendor, and the coins. His eyes met the vendor’s. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on the sword held in his arms.
“……!”
Flynn shut his eyes tightly.
And in the next moment, dashed away at lightning speed.
“Wha- Hey! Get back here…!”
Should I collect the money scattered before me, or should I chase them? The confused vendor froze in a half-standing, half-sitting position, unable to move. Should I call out that they’re thieves? But no matter how he looked at it, the sum of the money scattered in front of him didn’t total a hundred and forty, but at least two hundred.
While the vendor was in disarray, the two boys — one in black, and the other in gold — had already turned around the corner and disappeared from view.
****
“What… were… you… thinking…!”
As he was trying to catch his breath, Flynn said to Yuri.
“You…got…your sword…back…didn’t you…?”
Yuri was also sweating and panting as he said that.
“I never… wanted… to get it back… like this…! In this…thief-like…way!”
“What…do you…mean…? We…paid for it…properly. Enough…that there was…spare change.”
Realising that there was no point arguing when they were like this, the two of them stopped talking for a while until their breathing calmed down.
The two of them had returned to the lower quarter. They had run straight from the citizens’ quarter without stopping at all. Yuri, who had now gone back and forth twice, had fallen onto the ground and was unable to get up.
“I didn’t wish for any of this.”
After a long pause, Flynn finally said. His eyes never left the sword in his hand, but he was looking at it like it was a curse he was trying to escape from.
“You wanted to get it back, right? Just be honest and be happy.”
“I didn’t wish for this.”
Flynn stood motionless as he repeated himself.
“……That you’re giving it to me out of pity this way…”
That hit a nerve in him. Yuri stood up and walked over to Flynn. He slammed a fist into Flynn’s chest.
“I~diot.”
“Wha…”
“Who said I’m giving it to you? You and I pooled our money together to buy it. In that case, this sword isn’t yours.”
“It’s ours.”
Flynn had a confused look on his face. He desperately tried to understand the meaning behind Yuri’s words. But Yuri looked at Flynn and spoke straightforwardly.
“You, and I, will take turns using it. Any complaints?”
“Yuri……”
Yuri lifted his fist from Flynn’s chest and gripped the hilt of the sword. Flynn was holding onto its scabbard, so the sword came out easily. Although it was simple and child-sized, its make was that of a fine sword. Yuri held up the sword, with its tip facing skywards. The blade gleamed in the sunlight.
“I want to become stronger. I’ll become stronger and stronger, until I can deal with all of my matters all on my own. I don’t fully understand it yet, but at the very least, I want to be able to do the things I want to do.”
Staring at the blade’s tip, words that sounded like a solemn oath escaped Yuri’s mouth. He was surprised by his own words, but once they started flowing out he found he couldn’t stop. A sword alone isn’t enough.
Yuri’s gaze landed on Flynn.
“That’s why I need your help.”
“My…help?”
Flynn looked stunned. It looked as if he was questioning, What kind of help can I even offer?
Yuri spoke slowly, as if savouring each and every word.
“……Your swordsmanship, teach it to me.”
A look of surprise appeared on Flynn’s face, and he froze, motionless.
“Please.”
There’s no way I can back out now. As he injected even more force into those words, he held out the sword to Flynn.
Flynn stared at the sword and didn’t reply. Was he doubting my true intentions? As usual, I can’t read his thoughts from that stiff expression of his. Yuri held his breath and waited.
Suddenly, Flynn stretched out his hand. He firmly grabbed the sword that was offered to him.
As he held it in a stance in both hands, he felt a surprising amount of familiarity. Of course it was. As the memories came flooding back, Flynn thought to himself. My sword. This sword that was once mine. And now, for the second time.
The tip of the blade emitted a particularly strong gleam, the light sharp and pure. Flynn closed his eyes, and then opened them. His eyes were looking straight at Yuri.
In the next moment a smile spread across his face like the melting of snow.
“I understand. This is our sword.”
“Then the deal is sealed.”
Yuri smiled as he said that.
From the moment he had picked up the sword and offered it to Flynn, Yuri was aware of it. He understood a portion of the feelings that had been swirling inside of him. He had realised it after speaking those words earlier.
I want to win against him. I was frustrated when I lost to him.
He’s an amazing person. I want to be strong enough to beat him.
This was his answer to Jiri’s words. Yuri didn’t know if this was the right answer or not. But he had a feeling that it would connect somehow, someday, or perhaps even somewhere. That was fine for now. I’ll become stronger. As strong as him. And then I’ll be able to do — the things I set out to do.
It felt somewhat strange, seeking guidance from the very person he wanted to surpass, but Yuri’s heart felt clear and bright.
Three empty glass bottles were lined up haphazardly on the cracked stone pavement of the alley.
About twenty steps away, a boy sat there alone. He stared at the row of bottles unmovingly, as if picking them up and down and weighing them in his mind.
There were several other boys standing behind him. They kept talking to the black-haired boy, but he neither replied nor turned to face them.
“You don’t like that guy, right?”
“That guy?”
“That newcomer! The blond one!”
“Oh, now that you mention it, there was that guy.”
Saying that, the black-haired boy threw a pebble with a flick of his arm. The pebble arced through the air, hitting the empty bottle on the right as intended.
“He’s going to live here from now on. Then we have to properly teach him.”
“What do you mean, teach him?”
“The rules, duh. He can’t keep feeling like he’s from the ‘other side of the wall’. Right?”
“Just leave him be. I’m not interested.”
He picked up another pebble and threw it. With a brief, high-pitched sound, the bottle on the left fell over.
“Don’t be like that, Yuri. Come with us.”
“Why should I? In the first place, you’re all going as a group just to confront one person. How ridiculous.”
“You don’t have to say it like that…”
“Don’t do anything stupid. Got that?”
The forceful tone of his last words also lent strength to his arm. The pebble flew with tremendous force, hitting the remaining empty bottle in the middle and shattering the target into pieces.
The boys flinched at the sound echoing through the alley, and finally gave up, slowly retreating one by one.
As he listened to the footsteps behind him that clearly betrayed their owners’ reluctance, the black-haired boy known as Yuri let out a sigh as if he was fed up with it all.
A while back, there was a kid who moved into the lower quarter of the Imperial Capital, Zaphias, where they lived. Everyone was planning to bother him.
If that was all, it would be okay. It irritated him that they were going to pick on someone who hadn’t done anything to them in the first place, but such behaviour was far from uncommon in the lower quarter, a place you could hardly describe as well-behaved. The problem was that several people were trying to do it as a group.
There was only one person on the other side. Even if he hated them, forming a group to gang up on one person was even more despicable, let alone being considered part of them. The thought alone made his skin crawl.
The other boys were also aware of that part of Yuri’s personality. Still, they called out to him, because in the unlikely event they received an unexpected counterattack that they weren’t able to handle, they would feel safer with Yuri around.
With his strength and bravery, even among the boys of his age in the lower quarter Yuri was highly respected.
Yuri looked in the direction the boys had gone. Their figures were already out of sight. Yuri scratched his head and scowled.
He had stopped them, but had they accepted it? He wasn’t sure. Their attitudes were that of someone who had already decided to act. Going to see Yuri was a mere stop on the way for them.
Letting out a short huff, Yuri leapt up from his seat. His black hair spread out and fluttered softly.
He wasn’t much taller than the other boys. He didn’t particularly focus on physical training, but there was something about his demeanour that evoked that of a wild cat. To naturally possess everything necessary, while not having anything unnecessary, that kind of aura.
“If you guys get scared even before throwing down, don’t expect me to help you.”
Drawing trouble to themselves, then relying on Yuri when things got tough. That attitude of theirs was something Yuri always couldn’t stomach.
Even so, Yuri never truly disliked them. After all, they were friends that lived in the same lower quarter. In a sense, he even thought of them as his brothers. After all, the times they spent laughing together was so much longer — and the times they’ve endured together even longer.
In that case, why am I even going? Yuri asked himself. For the sake of those idiots who are only going to make fools of themselves again? Or for the sake of that newcomer everyone’s been talking about? No way. I don’t even remember his name.
He couldn’t feel at ease. He couldn’t sit still, but he didn’t have a clear reason why. He couldn’t help but go. That was just how he was. It frustrated him, but there was nothing he could do about it. To stop them from ‘doing anything stupid’, that was probably it. Stop who? Who cares.
After stretching his body, Yuri started to walk down the street.
****
A nasty guy.
That was the first impression most of the kids from the lower quarter had when they saw him. Even though he was a commoner, he stood out like an alien presence because he wore better clothes than them.
And that golden hair. Even though the lower quarter had people with hair like that, there was something clearly different about him. Although it was just hair, in the eyes of the children of the lower quarter it was representative of the Imperial Capital’s nobles, in other words, a symbol of the ‘upper class’.
On a cold, overcast day, with clouds looming low as if it could start snowing at any moment, the boy arrived, clutching his mother’s hand while having only a small amount of their things with them. Regardless of the details, even the naive, inexperienced children — who acted like they knew and could do more than they actually did — could understand that there were special circumstances surrounding him.
But for the children of the lower quarter, instead of evoking sympathy or compassion, rather, it served as a perfect ammunition for them to attack him. This was because the mother and son came from inside the castle walls — what the lower quarter referred to as the ‘other side of the wall’. Inside the castle walls was the citizens’ quarter, where even the commoners lived better and wealthier lives than the people in the lower quarter. That alone was enough to evoke feelings of resentment.
Despite the childrens’ feelings of resentment, however, the adults warmly welcomed the mother and son. They accepted what they had to say and didn’t ask for further explanations, offered them a house to live in, and even pooled together a portion of their meagre savings to give to them to provide them with the basic necessities for a short while. The mother and son barely had anything on them when they arrived, after all.
As for housing, there were plenty of vacant houses, and it was incredibly ambiguous as to who owned their rights, so it wasn’t a big issue. Despite its size due to it surrounding the outer circumference of the Imperial Capital, there weren’t a lot of residents that lived in the lower quarter.
Strictly speaking, the lower quarter wasn’t considered part of the Imperial Capital. Originally, the name Imperial Capital Zaphias referred to the inner layer of the lower quarter enclosed by the towering castle walls. The outer layer was originally nothing more than a leftover area the monster-repelling barrier’s power extended to, that various people took advantage of to live in, and over time turned into a settlement that hugged to the castle walls. And then after hundreds of years of repeated and accumulated unorderly expansion and demolition, the lower quarter was transformed into its current state.
Naturally, the sprawling lower quarter that was spread out in a huge circular area, wasn’t just one big cohesive district. Not only was it impossible in scope, it was also impossible for such a large district to be full of people. There were uninhabited ruins scattered between the districts such that each district more or less depended on the ‘other side of the wall’, but lived their lives separate from the others.
Its residents were all people who didn’t have the financial means to live on the ‘other side of the wall’, or the ability to move to another city, or were burdened with some other circumstance. They rarely paid attention to matters of governance, doing their best to live to see the day next, so they never thought of reorganising things. The lower quarter used the ‘other side of the wall’ to differentiate themselves from the people on the other side, and compared to the general term ‘outside the wall’, it could even be considered somewhat derogatory.
For the record, each district had their own name to differentiate themselves from the other districts. For example, the district where Yuri and his friends lived was called Fountain Alley, named after its remains at its centre. But in most cases, people simply referred to their own district as the ‘lower quarter’. The districts rarely interacted with each other anyway, so there was little need for differentiation.
As such, for the Yuri who was currently walking down the street he’d grown up seeing, he simply saw himself as a person who was ‘born in the lower quarter’.
The road, which had been paved long before Yuri was born and then left neglected, was now worn down, leaving cracks and hollows here and there. Weeds poked out from those cracks, and in other places dirty water collected and emitted a foul stench. Even though winter had ended, and the warmth of spring had begun to grace the streets, giving way to a pleasant scenery, Yuri was barely conscious of it, walking forward without getting distracted.
The place where he was born and raised. The place he has never left since he was born. For Yuri, this was a common and familiar sight, and nothing more, nothing less.
In the place where he lived, everyone knew each other. The distinction between family and other people was remarkably small.
On one hand, Yuri had no one he could call a blood relative. He’d only been told that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him, and he didn’t even know her face. As for his father, he was starting to doubt whether one truly existed.
The fact that a child with no relatives or assets to his name was able to survive was due to the spirit of mutual aid deeply rooted in the lower quarter. In reality, children like Yuri were far from uncommon, and even among adults it was not rare for one to be in dire straits. What saved them was the wisdom that the people had built up over generations, to prevent all of them from dying by the roadside.
By supporting and helping each other, despite their poverty they manage to overcome their hard times and somehow make ends meet. That was how despite being neglected, the people of the lower quarter had tenaciously survived this way.
In this case, the mother and son were only able to be saved because this spirit was alive and well.
****
Yuri suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning to look at the building beside him.
Although he didn’t think any of the boys were inside, he wondered if he should check just to be sure, or simply continue on his way. As he hesitated, a voice called out from behind him.
“What’s wrong, Yuri?”
It was a calm, elderly man’s voice. When he turned around he saw the man who fit that description holding a piece of luggage in his hand. He had a petite frame with a slightly hunched back and a thick beard, and from behind his glasses a gentle gaze could be seen.
“Grandpa Hanks.”
Although he had accumulated quite a few white hairs on his head, it was still too early to be addressing him as ‘grandpa’, but due to his mature demeanour, everyone in the lower quarter affectionately addressed him as such.
If you’re just going to stand around right in front of your home, you might as well come in.”
Hanks tilted his head, pointing at the building Yuri had been looking at.
‘My Home’. The people of the lower quarter had taken one of the vacant houses and designated it as a residence for Yuri and other children with no relatives to live in, and they referred to it as such.
Hanks was one of the adults responsible for taking care of them. Not only that, but with his gentle demeanour, he was considered by the lower quarter’s — Fountain Alley’s — people to be their mediator and organiser, and by Yuri, someone akin to a foster parent.
“Leave me alone. I’ll decide where I want to go.”
Hanks merely raised his eyebrows slightly and offered a smile at the boy’s biting remarks, regarding it as nothing more than a sign that he was energetic. While it irritated Yuri, he also was a little relieved that they were close enough to allow for such exchanges.
Just as he was about to walk off, Yuri felt a sense of danger at the back of his neck and quickly ducked down.
The next moment, something flew past the area where his head had been a moment ago. It arced through the air and crashed onto the ground with a jarring sound. It was a roughly-carved wooden plate, big enough to hold in both arms. If it had actually hit him, he wouldn’t just get away with seeing stars.
Despite knowing what had happened without needing to look, Yuri still turned to look at the direction of ‘My Home’ with fear in his eyes. Without him noticing, the front door had opened, and there she stood, alone in the doorway. ‘Standing’ was a moderate description, if anything, it was more appropriate to call it ‘standing imposingly’.
Glaring at him, with her rough, tight clothes and large and sturdy physique unbefitting that of life in the lower quarter, was Hanks’s wife, Jiri. Right now, her copper red hair looked like they were on fire.
“Gran… Aunt Jiri.”
Seeing the fierce glint in her eyes and sensing trepidation, Yuri quickly corrected himself.
Since she was the wife of Grandpa Hanks, it sounded obvious to address her as ‘Grandma’, but she refused to be part of that package deal. Despite the husband who acted older than he looked, for some reason she was the opposite. It was generally agreed among the lower quarter people that she was much younger than Hanks and acted even younger, but no one actually knew the truth.
It was a stretch to call her young, and the person in question didn’t deny that, but no one dared to directly ask her how old she was.
Regardless of the truth, while her husband didn’t mind being called ‘grandpa’, she never hesitated to deliver a solid punch to anyone who dared call her ‘grandma’.
Yuri and the others were well aware of this, but when she wasn’t around, they didn’t hesitate to refer to her as ‘grandma’ as usual, and force of habit made it easy for a slip of the tongue to occur.
At first glance they looked like an odd couple. When they stood side by side like this, that bizarreness became even more apparent.
Hanks, who looked like he’d never held a knife except during mealtimes, with a personality as though he was dressed in kindness, and had a small frame. If you were to put it roughly, you could even say he looked shabby and poor.
On the other hand, Jiri was easily a head taller than her husband, and their physical statures were completely different to begin with. Her physique was sturdy enough that she could wrestle monsters with her bare hands if she wanted to, and her personality was just as strong. There was a fierceness in her eyes that you would think she could never acquire just from living in the lower quarter.
To the children of the lower quarter, Jiri was by far the most terrifying of the adults, and most likely the strongest — no matter how old she was.
And that ‘Aunt’ Jiri was currently glaring at him with a scary look on her face. As far as Yuri was concerned, he had to choose his next words carefully and discreetly.
“Just now, I think I heard someone sounding rude?”
Her voice was deep and gruff, as one might expect from her appearance.
“Is that so? Maybe your hearing is going bad. Uh, you know… from working too hard.”
Seeing Jiri’s eyes grow even scarier, Yuri hastily added. But Jiri didn’t say anything.
Yuri cleared his throat with a resigned air and picked up the fallen plate. He cautiously approached Jiri and held it out to her. Jiri accepted it silently and then simply stared at Yuri, as if waiting for something. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Yuri quickly surrendered.
“......Sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
“Alright.”
Instantly Jiri, who’d gotten what she wanted to hear, lifted the corners of her mouth and nodded. This must be what it looks like when a tiger smiles. Or would a crocodile be closer? Imagining Jiri smiling as she devoured him head-first, Yuri's face grew stiff with fear.
“I don’t know where you’re going, but make sure you’re back by dinner time. Be sure to tell everyone else too!”
Yuri’s body spun around due to the forcefulness of Jiri clapping his shoulder. When he finally managed to stop and turn around, he found that Jiri had already disappeared back into the house. Her leaving the door open was probably for Hanks’s sake.
Yuri took a peek into the house. Sure enough, besides Jiri, no one else was at home. He let out a small sigh.
“Escaped by the skin of your teeth, did you? Here, take this.”
As if nothing unordinary had happened, Hanks took out an apple from his things and offered it to Yuri. It was a small luxury in the poverty-stricken lower quarter.
He accepted it and eagerly took a bite. The perfect balance of sweetness and sourness spread in his mouth, and moistened his stiff throat. Alright, let’s redo that.
( Alioth x Raven || Danielle x Yuri Lowell || Sylphistia x Dezel )
It’s around 6:30am when the eldest of the six roommates wakes up, stretching his limbs like a cat in the large bed, grumbling about how ‘it’s too early for this noise’ and ‘god I’m starving’. Sitting up in bed, Raven yawns, his fingers grazing the cold steel on his chest, the intricate pattern it paints across his pectoral, down along his stomach. “Well, it’s still there, at least.” He mutters. The man looks around the bedroom, eyes scanning the dimly lit room until he sees the silly little doll of his girlfriend, made by her friend. “So they’re downstairs then.” He mumbles.
It’s tradition. If Alioth ever wakes and gets out of bed before he does, she leaves that doll in her place to let him know. Raven reaches for the nightstand, trying to find his hairtie, only to find it missing. “The damn pup took it again.” He mumbles, groaning in a frustrated manner.
The man gets up, throwing on his iconic jacket. He has to wait for the laundry to be done since Repede stole one of his shirts out of spite. Raven walks downstairs, where he’s greeted with the two men he’s come to see as his own kin sit in deep thought at the table, accompanied by Danielle, who waved, happily. “Morning!” She says. Raven smiles, waving. There’s a yelp from the kitchen, and Dezel flinches on instinct, Yuri pats him on the back with sympathy, and suddenly, the black haired man wonders what the fuck is going on.
“Care to tell me why Sylph is yelling?” Raven asks, resting an arm on the table. “She and Alioth insisted on trying to cook eggs.” Dezel grumbles, and suddenly, Raven isn’t as hungry as he was before…
Danielle sighs, nodding her head as she kneels down to pet the beast-dog that comes to greet her. “I tried to stop them but they insisted.” She says. Yuri grins, leaning back in his chair, boots resting on the table. “WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THAT???” Sylph’s voice calls, and the familiar confused trilling sound that Alioth responds with shows the older woman’s confusion as well. Dezel groans. “This might be worse than Flynn.” He says. Yuri swallows nervously at that. “Haha…..god I hope not.” He says, hugging Danielle as if it might save him from food poisoning. Raven stands up, stretching again. “Cursed old bones, I can never be comfortable.” He says. He pats Dezel’s shoulder, the blind man jolts, snapped from his thoughts. “C’mon, we got women to teach.” Raven orders, and the wind malak wordlessly stands, following the older man.
In the kitchen, Alioth is seen holding a frying pan, and Sylph, who stands beside her, stares intently at the object. “Why the fuck do it look like that?” She asks, and Alioth shrugs, unsure. “The guys say it’s easy to cook these, but I don’t get it, this smells awful.” She says. “That’s because it’s burning, Li.” Raven interjects, leaning against the doorway. Alioth nearly drops the pan, Sylph’s eyes widen, and in a violent breeze, she jumps to the side, avoiding possible falling frying-pan. “Raven! Warn a girl next time you try to fucking kill her! I’ll have you know you all are on Empyric grounds, I’ll have you executed!” Sylph scolds, and Raven chuckles. “Yes yes oh great wind empress, I apologize for my misdeeds. Can I PLEASE take over now? It’s clear you two cannot cook an egg to save your lives.” Raven waves. Sylph glares at him, while Alioth’s ears perk up, feathered ends twitching softly. Two pairs of mismatched eyes stare at the tired man, who Honda his hand out expectantly, urging his girlfriend to hand him the frying pan. Alioth gives the metal object to the man, who gives Dezel a knowing glance.
“First order of business is throwing away this 7am failure of a breakfast. I love everyone here, and Alioth, ya mean the world to me darlin’, but this is NOT edible.” He sighs. Alioth pouts. “Anything is edible, don’t be silly.” She says, and Raven noses at her cheek affectionately to soothe her.
Dezel scoffs. “Oh please, if there’s anything that was birthed from this mornings cooking fiasco, it was a goddamn *biohazard*.” He growls. Sylphistia, much to his dismay, takes this personally, and growls right back. “Don’t fight you two, it’s not even 8am.” Yuri scolds, and Sylph looks dejected, to which Dezel’s wrath quickly turns to Yuri, snarling about how he’s being rude to a goddess, to which, unsurprisingly, Yuri does not care about whatsoever.
While Dezel is busy trying not to murder ‘That fucking prick named Yuri Fucking Lowell’, said ‘Prick named Yuri Fucking Lowell’ is edging Dezel in an attempt to get him to fight, so he can have a reason to start getting aggressive early enough that nobody can scold him. (Much to Yuri’s despair, the aggressive guard-dog of a wind-seraph does NOT give into his taunts.) “Yuri!” Danielle huffs, and Yuri grins, winking at her. The brunette is having none of it, going to link arms with Dezel, and with a pout, those crystalline wings of hers materialize, and she glares at her boyfriend, stating her point. Yuri glares at Dezel, but holds his hands up in surrender. “Fine fine, you win. Your great rebellion has won, my fallen Angel of eternal circumstance.” Yuri exaggerates. Danielle smiles, releasing Dezel (who looked quite startled by her sudden contact), and skipping to Yuri’s side happily.
Alioth and Sylph are comparing blades now, talking about the origin of their weapons, grinning and smiling, the occasional chirp or growl emoting from the two inhuman beings. Dezel goes to stand behind sylph, resting his chin on her head, careful to avoid the malevolent horn.
Raven comes out of the kitchen moments later, a plate of pancakes, eggs, and sausage (as well as a couple slices of bacon, preferred by Dezel due to his teeth) on the platter. He sets it down, moving to take a theatric bow. “And with that, arrivederci” he stands to leave before an almost deathly strong gloved hand grabs his wrist. Alioth gives him a sweet smile. “Why not join us?” She asks. “Yeah, we don’t bite.” Sylph grins. (Well, Sylph herself very much DOES bite….)
Raven sighs, but accepts. “Can’t refuse such a cute little face~” he ruffles Alioth’s hair, careful of the central horn of the entelexeia woman.
The chatter at the table is warm. Sylph urging Dezel to try things, Dezel trying to refuse, only to give in with a flustered grumble. Alioth rambling about some sort of new human bakery she found, and wanting to try their sweets despite it not even being 9am in the morning. Yuri making a sex joke as he tries to get Danielle to eat some sausage, only to apologize profusely when she states it’s too spicy and she genuinely didn’t like the taste. Repede sitting silently, watching the six of them.
It’s warm.
It’s homey.
Raven smiles, taking a hairtie that Yuri hands him, tying his hair up as he often does. He brings his hand to the blastia in his chest, and smiles.
(Modern AU, Suggestive, Mild nsfw for like, idk, kissing and shit—)
[Raven x Alioth || Yuri x Danielle || Eizen x Zaveid || Dezel x Sylph but not really??? ]
It was one of those evenings, it seems. Raven and Zaveid had INSISTED that there be at LEAST a small celebration after a new song debut when Windborne Stars was performing….not that Dezel particularly cared for any type of celebration regardless.
But his brother did. His brother cared, and Yuri was clearly interested too. Raven was urging for any sort of excuse to get wasted after a long day playing fill-in at the hospital…. It was, if anything, annoying. The only calm person, so it seems, were Eizen and Rokurou. Eizen was scolding Rokurou, who was encouraging a drinking contest between his brother and Zaveid.
That will only end badly…I know it…
“DEZZZZZZZZ~” the slurred voice of his bandmate, and a warm hand on his shoulder startles the man. A sharp inhale and almost punching the long-haired man, Dezel breathes a sigh when it’s over. “Fucking prick.” He swears, and Yuri simply laughs. “What, you not drinking?” He asks, and Dezel scoffs. “You lot are going to get fucking wasted, that’s on YOU. Don’t drag me into this….” He says. Yuri frowns, a hand going to his hip. “Drink this, half the glass or i won’t stop annoying you.” Yuri threatens, and by god, Dezel knows he would.
He glances over across the room, what little sigh his eyes grace him with seeing the flickering lights from the kitchen.
Oh yeah…they brought the girls too…
Common knowledge, anywhere Yuri goes, so does that girl in the frills. Cant remember her name…
A smack to the back of the head makes him yelp. “Drink up damnit!” Yuri scolds, and if only to get the man to leave him the fuck alone, Dezel downs the entirety of the glass at once, slamming it on the wooden table with a snarl of ‘Don’t tell me what to do’, before he walks off.
Eizen raises a brow, adjusting the framed glasses he wears as he reads over a book, not caring to pay too much attention to it. Zaveid blinks, and Yuri nudges him, to which the longer haired man laughs.
Dezel drags his fingers across the wall, feeling to ensure he’s still stable, before they catch on the jut of the doorframe. He gasps when a hand splays across his chest. “And where are YOU going?” An almost condescending voice calls.
Ah, that’s her…what was her name again??
“Uhh….” He stands there, hoping the woman stops touching him. He hates that feeling, it’s awful. “You boys get to have your fun over there, this is where we get to play. Sylph is baking. No, you can’t have any.” She says. “Sylph is baking?” He asks.
Sylph, she’s always there at those debuts. She goes with the brunette, they sit front row thanks to Yuri.
“Look, I’m not one to infringe upon girl’s-night, but I’m just—“
“Just what, Dezel?” She asks. Fuck…, not that tone. He hates that scolding tone. Bad memories…
“Danielle.” A softer voice calls. It’s tired, if anything, sounding quite dead. “The poor man doesn’t want to be with the dirty-drunks, give him a break.” She says. Sylph walks up to him, she notices how the blind man’s fingers are still hooked at the doorframe. “You doing okay? You look anxious.” She asks, and he simply nods. Sylph pats his shoulder. “I’m making cinnamon rolls. Do you like sweets?” She asks. He nods. “If they aren’t hard to chew, then yeah. My teeth make it hard though.” He explains. She nods.
First time nobody’s ever asked about his teeth when he’s said it before….
“Well, come to the island here, I can get you a chair if you’d prefer. They should be done in about fifteen minutes.” She says, and he sees that flickering of the lights, which must mean she walked past him, off further into the room. The woman in the lacy dress blinks, and giggles, running after her.
Dezel stands there, unmoving. Another woman walks over to him, long and wildly colorful hair. “Didn’t you say you were anxious? Come on, offer won’t stand forever.” She says, walking off after her brief but encouraging message.
He nods, walking further into the kitchen. It smells of cinnamon and sugar. …it’s a little comforting. A memory…
“There he iiiiisssssss~” the brunette Dezel now knows as Danielle says. Sylph says something under her breath, and he looks around, a hand coming up to his bangs, eyes narrowed as he tries to adjust, trying to see. The kitchen is cluttered…it’s got tools and mixers on the table, and on the counter at the opposite end there’s boxes of ingredients.
No mix…from what I can see…
“Did-“ his voice cracks just slightly, be clears his throat. “Uh. Are you making those from scratch?” He asks. A girl with long black and purple hair looks up.
Is it long? It’s long in the front, but not the back…what stylistic choice was THAT?!
“Yes. I can’t cook well, but I can be decent with baking!” She says. Her eyes are so tired….they’re different colors too. Not like Alioth’s signature heterochromia. These can’t be natural…
He walks forwards, going to stand behind where the woman is. She’s wearing a cropped hoodie with bright colors, and she has shorts on, with accessories. Very boyish. He notes.
“If you’re wondering about my anatomy, it’s okay to ask, you know. I’m surprised the famed ‘Wind Seraph’ even cares.” She says. He flushes, shaking his head. “No, don’t call me that. I don’t even like that name. We were uhh, Yuri made me—“
“Oh?! What we’re his choices?! Cmon you gotta tell me!” The gothic one says. Her hands touch his, and he reels back on instinct. “Dani, leave the poor man be, he’s got anxiety issues!” Alioth scolds, and Danielle sticks out her tongue. “The least he can do is answer me!” She says back. “Uh. Well, his original idea was going to be ‘Downtown Boy’, but he settled on ‘Vigilante’….obvious reasons…” he says. “Oh? Because of his history of gang violence?” She asks. Alioth nearly crushed the glass in her hand. “Danielle Aurion you’re associating with a man in a GANG??” She asks. Danielle shrugs. “Not like he’s more dangerous than I am. Relax.” She says. Dezel looks a little nervous at that prospect, and he’s even more so when Alioth simply nods, resuming her drink. “I’m sorry what-“ he all but blurts. “Oh? Well todays day and age requires us all to have some kind of improvised weapon here.” Sylph says with a soft laugh.
IMPROVISED WH—
“Uh…yeah….can’t say I can relate…” Dezel says. “Well of course not. You may not be as muscular as Zaveid, but you’re still a man. You win the lottery by default.” She says, clapping her hands and picking up the pan, putting it into the oven with a few more pressing of some buttons.
“You feel you’ll be attacked?” He asks. Alioth scoffs. “We all feel we’ll be attacked. Sylphistia actually has been, she’s got a damn good reason to.” The long haired woman says, and Dezel looks at her closely.
“Was what happened the reason you have those prosthetics…?” He asks, and she nods her head. “Yeah. An arm and a prototype functioning eye. The little veiny boys are just special tattoos Rokurou got for me. But yes. That was the result.”” She says. He blinks, looking at the arm. It’s almost glasslike, more like marble than silicone or metal. It looks inhuman, and artistic. “I’m sorry for your loss…” he says quietly, and she puts her hand(s) up in front of her.
it moves fluently like her normal hand does.
“No no, don’t worry! I’ve gotten over it! Plus, I look fucking cool now!” She says. There’s such insecurity behind that phrase. There’s such doubt in her eyes. He feels even worse now…
“Well, tell me about you. Enough on me.” She says, leaning against the counter. “Uh…nothing interesting.” He says, looking around.
Danielle and Alioth seem to be in the other room with the rest of the boys…he’s trapped now.
“Please. You’re a band boy, you’re practically an idol here.” She says. He looks afraid. “Thirsty? I got a few options. We have lemonade, margarita ingredients, and ice water.” She offers, looking at him.
“Uh….you can make margaritas?” He asks. “I’m 21. Yeah, I can. Just turned so earlier last month.” She says. “O-Oh, my bad. I didn’t—“ he sighs.
“Anyways. Continue.” She says.
“Im uhh…I’m backup vocals. I don’t do leads.” He says. She smiles. “I know. You’ve got a unique sound, all raspy and growly, it fits.” She teases. “It does?” He raises a brow. “Yeah. You look like the type to have that heavy-metal voice.” She says.
Since when did she know how to make margaritas? Wait, when did I ask for one?? Well I guess…
“I suppose…I prefer not doing any of the singing. I like the instruments better. It’s easier.” He says. Dezel finds himself relaxing against the counter, watching the woman move about as she grabs Ingredients and a fancy glass.
“I get it. I dislike being on set as well.” She says.
On set-
“You sing? I don’t think I’ve heard a name like yours come to mind. Are you anonymous?” He asks. “Oh me? Well I do my work on the web. Don’t have to be real if I’m behind a screen.” She chuckles. “Yeah she’s quite the popular gal on the tube, so it seems.” Yuri’s voice called. Dezel growls. Yuri stands at the doorway, Danielle sitting where he holds her in his arms, she grins. “She’s so good at it too. You seriously miss out Dezel.” Danielle says. “Please stop, it’s weird.” Sylph says back.
“What’s your handle then?” He finds himself asking. “Oh, uhh, SylphistiaSymptom. Nothing special. That’s my username for everything.” She says.
As in the woman with the Terraria server? That ‘Sylphistia’? That’s her?
“You play that game right, the building one?” He asks. She nods. One chuckle from behind alerts him Danielle is laughing. “It’s nothing special. I just do it for fun.” She says.
His body all but flinches as the timer goes off. He catches himself against the counter, ragged breathing as he calms himself.
“Oh! Well it’s going to be sweets time!” She says. “Damn we’ve been blessed.” Yuri begins. “No. You don’t get one. You sent Dezel out here to socialize when he clearly didn’t want to.” Sylph scolds, taking the pan out of the oven. “Oh come on! Danielle she’s bullying me!” He whines, and Danielle pets his hair. “Sylphie pleeeaaaassseeee?” She asks, and Sylph sighs, caving. She waves a dismissive hand. “Fine fine your boy-toy can get pastries.” She says, and Dezel chuckles under his breath at the audibly and offended gasp from his bandmate. “Now I need glaze.” She says.
“I’ll make some, I know Zaveid used the last of it for the donuts he made a week ago.” She adds. “Those were good…” Dezel says under his breath, remembering it.
“Oh we get to make it from scratch? Can I join?” Danielle asks, hopping off Yuri’s shoulder. “Sure. Come here then. I don’t think I taught well last time you and Ali came over. I’ll do a retake.” Sylph says. She walks over to Dezel, handing him the sparkling red drink with fruity additives to him, smiling, before walking off.
Yuri walks up to Dezel, looking at Danielle. “Fine girl, huh?” He asks, resting his chin in hand. Dezel looks over to the girl in the frilled dress. “I guess…” he shrugs. “You’re looking at the other one. Huh?” He asks, and Dezel narrows his eyes in annoyance, a dead giveaway.
“You need to loosen up buddy. You’re always too damn uptight, get laid and relax for once!” Yuri sighs. Dezel nearly spits out his drink. “EXCUSE— ARE YOU KIDDING?!” He hisses. “I mean. I think getting off for once would do you some good.” Yuri says, unfazed by the aggressive response. “Good liquor, good pussy, and a good old fashioned size difference you can’t go wrong with.” He lists, and Dezel finds himself wanting to curl up and die of embarrassment.
“Well, it works for ME at least. Dani’s a goddamn beast, got the sex-drive of a damn animal and the figure of a goddess. You can’t go wrong with a little roughhousing in that regard~” he sips his whiskey. Dezel rolls his eyes.
Leave it to the famed ‘Vigilante’ to be as atrociously lewd as possible…
“And do you even HAVE a type? You never talk about the girls at the meet-n-greet’s. Or the boys either. Are you just unable to pull for anything? That bad?” He teases. “I just don’t see a need.” He says. “Well, if you HAD to have a type, or be interested, what would matter to you?” He asks.
What do I like…?
“Uh…I guess anyone who understands how to handle my anxiety….”
She was very kind. She offered me food and water….that was nice.
“And anyone who is interested in music, or the generals of alternative fashion.”
I can’t tell what colors she’s wearing, it’s too bright….but she has a lot of decorations, and that peculiar horn clip in her hair, but only one….
“Uh. I don’t care about body type.” He adds, looking over at the two women.
Shes laughing, and she’s shoving Danielle’s shoulder, her laugh is quiet, but it’s also a little raspy….she must be popular in vocals due to that range by itself…
“No type my ass, you got a whole damn list you fucking liar.” Yuri says. “Well, I for one love being the bigger one in the relationship, I enjoy being amble to just pick her up and put her wherever I want.” He says.
“That’s…” he doesn’t comment. It’s lewd, is what it is. It’s annoying he has to hear it.
makes him wonder though…
He shakes his head. “I don’t get it. Why would that be so enticing? Isn’t it scary for her?” He asks, taking another sip of the drink. This tastes good…. “Well, obviously there’s trust involved. She knows I’d never hurt her, I’d never get off on her genuine pain, that’s just cruel.” He says. “But being in control means more than just railing a girl an inch of her damn mind, my bro. You have to take care too. Be sure to ask if she’s happy, offer food, make sure you get her needs met. Everything.” He says.
Being in control…..interesting.
“I see….” His gaze falls on where Sylph mixes something with a whisk in the bowl.
“HEY!” Danielle yelps. Yuri looks up, seeing the woman with a hand on her chest, glaze coats her fingers as she pouts. “Idiot! This is my favorite dress and you KNOW white stains are hard to wash!” She complains, and Sylph chuckles. “Sorry, sorry, my hand is acting up again.” She says.
Shes right, the fingers on the prosthetic twitch….it looks unnatural. Ethereal, somehow.
“Oh? Sorry, didn’t know!” Danielle apologizes, combing her fingers through the lace of her dress, grumbling. Yuri looks over, a manic grin on his face. “Having a sticky situation over there? Hmm???” He asks, and Danielle grins. “She got glaze on my dress.” She says. She brings fingers to her lips, licking the sweet off it. “Tastes good?” Sylph asks. She smiles. “Yeah! It’s a bit sweeter than last time too. Not as salty…” she purrs, and Yuri growls, setting his drink down, encircling his arms around Danielle’s waist, and she sighs. “You’ll be getting yourself nowhere with this stunt of yours, getting me riled up doesn’t do you any good, girlie.” Yuri scolds. “Oh? You’ll have to wait then, I’m hungry and I want Sylph’s baking before I want good dick.” She says. Dezel blinks at the blunt words, face flushed a bit. Looks like Sylph is in the same boat, awkwardly backing away from the two lovers.
Somehow, there’s a crash, and now Yuri has the younger woman pinned against the wall, and they’re almost violent about how they kiss one another, small leased noises. Sylph seems unfazed, cutting the treats in the baking pan, even so bold as to walk to where the two lovers stand, setting down two plates with a cinnamon roll on them at the counter, before walking to lean against the counter with Dezel.
“Sorry about them…” he says on behalf of his bandmate. “No worries. Wait here while I go give these to the others.” She smiles sweetly. He nods, watching her walk off.
Alioth happily smiles, adjusting the feathered avian-ears she always wears. “Thanks sis~” she smiles, before almost immediately dropping said pastry in her lap, barely catching it. The glaze, is not so lucky. She sighs as it hits her skin, looking down her top, shaking her head. Raven blinks. Then blinks again.
Another blink.
One more, just for good measure…..
“I can clean it~” he says, the coffee shop owner and doctor extraordinaire. Alioth smiles, a finger booping the older man’s nose. “Being quite bold tonight huh? I see you…” she says, and he hums as he gives her neck a gently kiss in his drunken stupor.
Sylph sighs, again. She walks over to where Eizen desperately tries to get Zaveid off his lap, who seems very much unhappy at the attempt. “I’m assuming the Rangetsu siblings left?” Sylph asks, not even bothering with the obvious display of affection between the two men. “I— yeah they left when Rokurou got the dagger out.” The blonde struggles between a growl for the long haired man to ‘please stop that’s highly inappropriate.’ Sylph nods. “Before you dick him down, do you want cinnamon rolls?” She asks.
By some unholy reason, THAT got Zaveid’s attention, and he smiles as if he’s NOT being very obvious about all but riding Eizen’s thigh. “Oh yeah! Thanks! You always deliver the best, that’s so yummy.” He smiles, taking the plate and setting the other aside. Sylph nods.
She walks away without any further comments with the vulgar comment about her brother made by Zaveid.
How is she not even phased……
Sylph returns to where Dezel stands, tripping halfway, when she gives a startled sound. On instinct, the taller man goes to break her fall, holding her firmly by the waist.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” She yells. He blinks, stepping back quickly at the cry. “Sorry, sorry, that’s. I didn’t mean to be so rude, I’m sorry…” she says.
“It’s no issue. Sorry for setting off your fight or flight…” he says back. She sighs, looking at her hoodie, glaring. “Guess I match the girls now…what a damn pain.” She complains. There’s a bit of glaze on her chest, where the print on her top begins.
that’s a shame. Looks like good material too.
“Is it hard to wash out?” He asks. “”Yeah, it depends on the type, obviously, but yeah.” She shrugs. “This batch is more viscous than the last one. The last one is more liquidated, this isn’t. Good for icing texture though.” She says.
Dont say that. Now I’m thinking.
“Uh, sure…” he says.
Dezel looks at her, she grabs a napkin and she dabs at her shirt, the spot dampening a bit. She doesn’t wear anything under it by the looks of it…
“Uhh…” he looks aside. Sylph looks up at him. “Oh uh, don’t worry about it. I’m not on the larger size so it doesn’t matter. Not that I’m very enticing to look at, so I don’t have much need to be worried.” She explains.
“I don’t like when they’re large. “ he says on pure instinct, without provocation. She looks at him. “Uh. Good on you I guess?” She seems unbothered.
Did i fuck this up? I have no goddamn clue what I’m doing…
“I just think it’s uhh….doesn’t it hurt, if they get that big?” He asks. What the fuck am I doing-
“Yes actually. Alioth had quite difficult times with her back pains due to it. I know Danielle is a decent size for smaller women, I’m just me.” She says.
‘I’m just me’….
“I suppose. Do you need help?” He asks, and that earns him a glare from mismatched eyes. “Don’t even try. I’ll go get cleaning supplies. I have a different top to wear anyways. Here’s this, enjoy while I’m out.” She says. Dezel takes the plate, raising the fork to try a bite of the cinnamon roll.
“That’s well made….they taste like the ones at….oh wait, maybe she baked the ones at Raven’s shop for him…” he mumbles.
He sits there wondering about it. Maybe he does have a type…..
Weird women with a talent in baking, and some air of unperceivable mystery…
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