The blue sky up high dimmed, the wind blowing cooler as the sun made its way ever lower down the horizon. Wheels turned, hooves graciously strolled forth, a wagon in motion. Peaceful, serene… Quiet, besides the hums of the breezing wind and the bumps of the road ahead.

  Such frost-blue eyes gazed out from the edges, arms dangling out in effect though one was perched against the cheek. Tired, bored, all she could do was stare and nap—though, she had already napped. There were no more naps to be had.

  “Hm…” Her eyes drifted, eyeing her ice-blue sleeves… Still blood-stained. “May we stop at a town for the night? I’d like to–”

  “I’d rather not stop anywhere, Blue.” the adventurer was quick to say; “It ain’t just the two of us anymore; don’t trust that bug in any town. Also, cleaning your shit will take too long.”

  “Ugh…” Already stained by a month’s worth of grime and dirt, what more would blood add? She nevertheless sighed… “I need more spellcards too, likewise.” Indeed, she did.

  She had expended quite the many of her life magic spellcards during her assistance of the Green Frogs… The spells they had needed far exceeded what she knew via learned incantations and habituated conditioning, requiring the usage of her specialized cards. She was an ice mage ultimately, hardly a life mage.

  However, replenishing her special deck and obtaining new such cards was hardly a simple feat for a freelancer mage such as her. She would have to seek a particular kind of distributor that was not merely found in any random town, and their inventory could vary considerably. Majority of freelancer spellcards, after all, were either weaved independently or were…sourced from the Collegium and had mysteriously found their way there.

  Blue sighed again. “I should have dabbled in basic death magic as part of my curriculum,” she lamented indeed, “perhaps then there would have been less screams.” She could still hear the cries of the amputated.

  “Most faint from the shock anyway. Don’t think too much about it.” Red proceeded to speak. “You’re the one who volunteered to help them; you knew what that meant.” thus he spoke although…he should not frame it as though he was blaming her. “And you and your spells did good work; sure, it might’ve been more painful than getting Demon-raped, but who knows how many lives you’ve prolonged. The Frogs were very thankful.”

  “Hm…” Blue took a moment to contemplate. “…I didn’t understand most of their speakings,” she thus spoke, a positive although awkward affect in both face and voice; “but, yes… Perhaps you are right. I’ll go by your word.”

  Another quiet proceeded to ensue as the wagon continued to move, the unicorn smacking its lips repeatedly in a most…particular of sounds, puffing every now and so as it suddenly salivated for reasons unknown.

  There were certain abysses not meant to be understood.

  Nevertheless, Blue and Red would only occasionally banter on and off, as they typically would; although, Blue was finding it harder to act the way she usually did. No thanks in part, of course, to their…added other. One who was thus far…rather silent. A quiet passenger sitting in her own shadow.

  Yet Blue, bored and having felt that this silence had gone on for too long, drifted her attention to that visible shadow, whose own eyes kept themselves downfaced. Cloaked and enigmatic, yet evidently uncomfortable and stiff in posture.

  She was still oozing with uncertainty, no doubt.

  “…so,” Blue decided to finally speak to her, “mystery… How are you?” She was asking this again, minded—not the first time, and neither would it be the last.

  “Huh?” Yet the cloaked other seemed somewhat surprised to be spoken to. “Oh. I am fine.” she thus answered, the same answer. “Don’t concern yourself, as I’ve told you.” Her voice was evidently softer and more passive when communicating with Blue than with Red.

  “Are you still in…pain?” Blue meanwhile was able to see beyond the metaphorical mask. “There is no shame in saying so.”

  “…who knows.” Ah, a nonanswer.

  Hm… Blue’s frost-colored eyes momentarily withdrew their gaze; she tapped her finger on the wagon’s edge—contemplating, reflecting… “I have refrained from asking this,” given what she had so learned from her last journey with such a shadow-cloaked character, “but do you have…anything we should call you by?”

  She did not receive an immediate reply, though eventually…

  “Maroon.” Thus, such was given. “Call me that.”

  “Alrightly!” Blue smiled, thrilled. “Well, then, Maroon! I am glad to have you with us!” Again, technically—for this would be the second time. Although, the journey back to the camp hardly counted.

  They were a party now.

  “…” Yet the survivor—or thus ‘Maroon’—turned her sight Blue’s way, her yellowish-amber eyes giving a kind of bland glare. “…we’ve been on the road for…several hours now? Why are you saying this now?” She just had to ask. “Usually, that is said, you know, when…” Her voice, however, slithered to a halt. “Never mind,” she shook her head, “don’t know what I’m saying.” She withdrew her sight.

  Such was a…pattern with this one, indeed. She did not seem to ever complete any banters before retreating so.

  “You may keep talking nevertheless, you know.” Blue decided to say, keeping her welcoming smile. “As my beloved Red has so frequently demonstrated, one needn’t know what words come through in order to speak.”

  “Buh.” Red rolled his eyes, not bothering to engage. He kept his focus on the road ahead, and especially whomever might be ahead.

  Maroon meanwhile had only a tacit smile from that remark. However, she still…felt it better not to engage—not to become too cozy or casual.

  She was not their friend; neither were they hers.

  Quite frankly, she was still questioning her…decision-making—that she had even followed along with his idea. In her mind, this was a simple exploitation of an opportunity; she would have multiple avenues of escape now… Yet, in reality, of course…there had not been much forethought.

  Truth be told, she felt as though she was only delaying a certain inevitability.

  For the simple fact remained, she had survived and had not immediately reported back in through the instructed means. Instead, she had found herself in custody which she had just now…fled.

  “…mh.” Such a barely audible sound left Maroon’s breaths, only a faintly visible tremor in her jaw.

  Maybe she should have remained with the Company along with the bodies. Those with whom she was associated were going to discover that there was a survivor amongst the dead; that it was her; that she had fled. Now she would be viewed as a runway, doubtless to her. She herself was already viewed as the weakest in the chain of committed zeal, so she presumed.

  Those with whom she was associated were bound to find her one way or another, she felt within; whether or not this would be from a hunt or…through her own volition remained an open question. Either way, a doomed fate awaited her even if not death… And now, perhaps, not only just her anymore.

  “Is this…really a good idea?” Such words escaped her mouth, though she spoke not to the deaf void. Her eyes had shifted to Red, and his spine could almost feel the piercing yellowish-amber stare. “Dragon Slayer… I think this might’ve been a terrible mistake.”

  “You know, for a gal who just said ‘we’ve been on the road for hours, why you’re talking now’, your timing isn’t any better.” Red so plainly remarked, before exhaling… “Here’s what it is: you are helping us on a job. Nothing more; nothing less.” he reassured…a framing; “Once we’re done, we’ll be back, and…”

  “We’ll be returning…?” Her breaths somehow discovered the middle ground between relief and despair.

  “You’ll stay with us—not the Company.” he again reassured. “And I’m willing to bet that, between me and the Company, your whoever boss bugs would prefer you being with me. I’m just some guy. The fuck am I gonna do?”

  “You are someone who…” Maroon was about to speak although stopped herself… Revealing that most Guild staff, including clandestine operatives, were forced to read his basic profile would have given her continued-to-be-denied association away. “…’s notorious.”

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Mhm.” Red just nodded. “Yeah. And the Guild can’t easily get rid of me—they’ve tried everything. I always come back.” He was perhaps mildly exaggerating. “And I’m technically one of the Bureau’s ‘asset’ goons right now, and my companion is definitively contracted with them.”

  “That I am!” Blue gleefully confirmed.

  “So,” he continued on, “you’re in good hands. We’re all on the same side.” On paper, that was. “And I’ve handled the Bureau’s crap before; I can deal with them again. So, don’t think about it.”

  Maroon merely sighed… Would that the Bureau in and of itself was her problem.

  “Alrightly, but…” she began to say; “You told…members of the Thirteenth–”

  “Oh, so you know who they are, huh?” Red saw the chance to nip and took it, even in this sort of moment.

  Maroon tsked, though remained undeterred. “The Company. Procedure. You told them I was theirs; there was an effective transfer of custody, but then you spirited me away without telling them…” Indeed, he had. “Is this going to create problems?”

  “Who knows.” Red just replied, plain; “And I didn’t remember signing an official treaty with them. They took you, they were supposed to question you, and they didn’t do that; they left you alone. So—as I’ll say—I thought they were done with you and asked for your help.”

  “That isn’t how anything ever actually works…” Someone was seeming awfully affective now.

  Red sighed, realizing his current approach was not working. “Alright, look: it wasn’t like I didn’t try to get formal permission and all that bureaucratic crap. What do you think that stop at that big tent was? That was our boss.”

  “Yes. I do recall.” Maroon so stated; “I recall having to wait. I recall being abandoned, left alone…with, with…” Shuddering, she tried not to glance at the still-moving unicorn. “…that creature and its…noises and obsessive chewing.”

  “…aha, sorry about that…” Blue brushed the back of her neck, slightly awkward.

  “Either way,” Maroon continued on, “you two didn’t say anything upon return. We just left, which I presumed meant things didn’t go your way.”

  “…we actually didn’t talk at all.” Red decided to clarify.

  Such only further reinforced her point. “Yes. So, you ultimately didn’t get permission. That makes this completely unsanctioned…” Truly, she was one to talk.

  “Eh.” Yet Red brushed his hand, dismissively. “Again, I’ll explain it to him when we come back. Besides, this time it actually wasn’t my fault; man was too busy.”

  “Ahah…” Blue promptly had a shift in demeanor… “Oh, he was most certainly busy…” Indeed, she had a particular smirk.

  Horis Prioribus

  A tent. A rather large one with respect to the others although still triangular, making it somewhat weird as tents came—at least to him. No guards or soldiers around, oddly.

  Red stood there, ahead being the sealed slit of an entrance. The wagon had been parked further behind, the unicorn restless and slightly shaky—craving pixie dust it no longer had, undoubted. He had left the survivor at the wagon for the time being, along with Blue.

  He wanted this to be yet another one-on-one meeting; only him and him. He wanted to make his case his way, without any potential others to distract—he was certain he could convince the field commander to allow him to…retake custody over that totally-not-a-Raven girl. Ravens and Bureau operatives in general tended to be…difficult to get anything out of; his proposal would simply be framed as a method of intelligence gathering.

  Since, indeed, that was what he was doing. Cooperation, cordiality, helping each other, gradually eroding the standoffish defenses by building trust and reciprocity…from which, then, could be yielded greater honesty. Such had yielded before; it could yield again.

  At least, that was what he tried to convince himself; such had been the plan running in his head—prior to arrival, that was. For as he had approached this tent, he had become increasing aware of…noises. Noises emanating from beyond its concealed depths; noises which became so very much…clearer now that he was right there.

  “…” And, indeed, he was plainly silent—an unreadable muted expression on his face.

  ?[Ha, ha… Oh, how you’ve taunted me for too long with this ass of yours!]?

  ?[~Dyah! You…make me jolt; sweatless, ~breathless…]?

  ?[And now, I shall… ~Oom! Ah, hah… How does this feel, madam? Agh… What a burning elf!]?

  ?[~Ooh, ach! Yes! Rupture me open with your feral ~tail of man! ~Neuh!]?

  Pat, pat, pat. Panting grunts and moans… Truly, such undignified sounds—almost exaggeratedly so.

  And his ears knew enough Far Western gibberish—Company Elklander—to parse together their words, unfortunately. He quite frankly had no idea what to even think; his brain was still trying to process… He simply nodded his head, slowly. “Well… At least the gal seems interested.” he mumbled to himself.

  Indeed, this did not exactly seem to be an instance of a Far Western officer so…‘receiving’ from coerced locals. Too…vocally vivid.

  His present question was simply whether or not he should interrupt or walk away, pretending as though his ears had heard nothing.

  For, this adventurer understood Far Western customs enough to know that…whatever was happening inside of that tent, it would be…controversial either way. None of his business, however.

  “Hey, Red!” Yet suddenly came a voice echoing behind, delicate footsteps making way. He nearly flinched though ultimately held firm.

  “Oh, aha! Did I startle you? Apologies!” It was Blue; she was approaching…

  Oh no.

  “I know I was supposed to remain at the wagon; however, uhm, you were just…standing there daftly? So, I just wanted to…see…what… was…” Her voice promptly lagged as she arrived in audible proximity… “…oh-ho?”

  Red sighed, stepping back before turning himself around, eyeing Blue who had just arrived… “Keep your voice down.” he quietly cautioned, although…he could already tell from her face.

  “Now, what might be befalling within there?” Indeed, she tilted her head with…a piqued expression. “Ahah…” At the very least, she was quieter. “It sounds to me as though…someone is being ~sodomized. Those seem to be more of the in pain via bottom intrusion groans than properly pleasured moans—I think?” Leave it to her to be able to identify method from sound alone. “Or… Hm. Maybe not? Maybe so? Curious… Perhaps I need a more…attuned listen.”

  “Gods’ sacred toilet…” Red so muttered.

  For Blue only gravitated closer to the tent, her voyeur of an ear practically touching the fabrics even if not literally. “Uhuh…” She eavesdropped, listening… “Woah… Wow, ~woof.” She nearly jerked, squeaking; “Visceral…” Blushing, spiking, basically drooling from her emerging grin…

  ?[Hm? Wait, shite… Is there someone–]?

  ?[Shhh… Hush now. Only me, fair soldier. ~Uh.]?

  The…audible fervor momentarily spiked, drowning out any potential entering sounds; this tent was surprisingly effective at containing noise within it and not beyond—lucky them.

  Nevertheless, such was Red’s signal that they needed to leave. “Blue… Seriously.” he spoke through his teeth.

  And his companion finally stepped away, hastily returning to him. However, effectively a leer was her gaze. Indeed, upon return, she leaned up and into his ear. “Say… Shall we…interrupt them?” she so whispered—as if having forgotten where she even was, let alone contextual appropriateness.

  His accosted ear could feel the temperature spike in her breaths.

  On the one hand, her reaction was not…horribly negative, as he had initially feared it would be…given her prior history—specifically with respect to the context of a camp like here. However, this response was not necessarily any better. If anything, this somehow made it worse—in his mind, at least. Much of what she was had a propensity of finding its way back to a specific originating…point.

  “No.” Red simply grabbed her arm and started to walk. “We’re leaving.”

  “Urgh… Finely heard, but…” Her legs were jittery—quite. “…may we at least find our…own little corner, please?” Heated, pinkish, she had become…charged—or rather, that which she had been restraining finally boiled over its limits and was now leaking steam.

  Indeed, whether such happened or not was never entirely within her control; for such inclinations were not always from desire as much as functional necessity.

  “…” Red did not even reply.

  Nunc

  “…aha…” Blue was reminiscing on the sounds; “I still believe we should have interrupted them.”

  “Blue, ‘interrupting’ wasn’t your intentions, and you know it.” Red so plainly replied, his eyes still locked onto the road. “Gods’ sacred, why…did you have to remind me?” Indeed, now he was being reminded.

  Blue merely giggled. “~Tehe.” Deliberate and mischievous, he could only presume.

  “Honestly, lady,” he began to remark, “surprised you even got charged in a soldier camp like that… Wasn’t expecting that. You’re usually…”

  “…yeah.” Blue’s eyes drifted down slightly. “Context is the key to most doors, as it’s told… I suppose that lady’s audible…calls were the encharger. They were too…intense to be violation, and believe me—I would know.” Yet then there was a pause. “Although, I say that, yet…” She could have very well been wrong; her mind had twisted reality before, after all. “…I did enjoy it too, didn’t I? Always, I would… I…wanted…it, so… Uh… Why the sudden shake?” Her hands were starting to shake. “…I, uhm—wait, maybe I… I… ” Her respiration…

  Red could tell the trajectory her cognition was going.

  “My bad.” His voice immediately pierced through. “Didn’t watch my mouth… Shouldn’t have brought that up.” Indeed, even now he was still learning. “Don’t think about it.”

  “…but I am thinking about it now.” Blue sighed, breaths stabilizing; she was calmer now, at least. “It cannot be helped, and you raised a good point… I don’t need to be coddled always, you know.” she thus spoke, legs gently shaking. “…maybe I should have reacted…differently—I don’t know.” Remembering that they were, indeed, not alone, Blue decided to leave their conversation here. “I am concerned with myself—that’s all.”

  What she would have preferred to say was… What if it was the very possibility that what had befallen her herself was happening to another was, itself, what had charged her so; that was the thought which concerned her so. After all, it was not as though she herself had even realized the wrongness of what had simply been her life until well after the fact.

  “…you two are fucking weird.” Maroon meanwhile so bluntly remarked, her ears having borne witness to their words yet without any of the context. “…no offense to you, Blue.” yet she then so awkwardly clarified, eyes evasive.

  “Hah!” Blue was hardly offended; if anything, that interruption had rebounded her thoughts. “Never worry, girly-girl! I don that label with pride!” She smiled bright.

  Maroon kept her own responding affect ambiguous and hidden—or she attempted to, at least. For the energy was certainly contaminating.

  “Although… Hm…” However, abruptly a new thought so popped into Blue’s mind; indeed, her lips turned as her attention drifted once more… “Since we were on this subject, and now that I…reflect with clearer mind,” which was to say without that charged cloud, “the recipient… Hm…” She paused again…

  Blue needed to thoroughly reflect on the memorable sounds before speaking further, she felt.

  “I think, actually, that woman might have been…faking her delight?” she finally said it, looking at Red. “No, no… Yeah. Upon second reflection, I am fairly confident, in fact… She wasn’t being genuine.”

  And, indeed, she would know.

  “Blue, like I’ve said.” Red, however, had to plainly reiterate: “Don’t think about it. Not our business.” None at all. “You should know the bridge between truth and deception isn’t stable.” Indeed, it was not. “Only thing you—both of you—need to worry about is where you’re gonna sleep and what you’re gonna eat… Once we enter Fishberry, we’ll be stopping for the night. Should be arriving by tomorrow noon.”

  And Doomberry was a destination that would require rested attention and focused caution.