Guild house of the Moonlight Blackcat
“It’s been three days I’ve told you guys already I’m ok you don’t need to babysit me it’s bad enough I’ve been pulled from the frontlines but forcing me to rest is starting to annoy me and I can’t even drink water without everyone freaking out and insisting they taste test it.”
Redsopine says wearing a green vest shirt and a new deep black cloak the hood down as he flips a dagger in his hand out of boardom.
“Can I at least practice and spar if I’m being forced to stay at the back for a few days plus I’m sure you all have improved since last year and I want to see how and maby just maby you will lean a few new tricks as well.”
He says waiting for a answer from the guild around him.
“Find we can spar just don’t over do it ok.”
Silica says rolling her eyes in annoyance as she starts heading outside followed by Red.
“First and biggest rule is no weapons from any of us we could all use practice in defending ourselves unarmed afterwards you could show us how to use our weapons without using our sword skills that sound ok to you Red?”
Red nods and gets into a fighting stance readying his arms defensively.
“First show me what you can do bare handed come at me and don’t hold back got it.”
Silica nods and charges at Red swinging her right arm into a punch as she twists her body to provide more impact as Red grabs her fist she uses the momentum to swing herself upwards with a kick aimed at his head forcing him to block it and let her fist go as he chuckles.
“Pretty impressive there using your size and speed to your advantage.”
He smiles as he changes his stance.
“Ok now try to block or dodge my attacks.”
Was all the warning he gave as he starts throwing punches and kicks towards her while advancing forcing silica to move backwards as she tries to figure out his attack pattern.
“Your doing better and you have gotten faster but you won’t beat me by just dodging you need to counter attack look for a opening or make one I know your capable Silica so how about a bet if you manage to hit me within the next five minutes we can do anything you like for the rest of the day.”
Red says jokingly not expecting Silica to take it seriously until she stops dodging his attacks and grabbing his wrists and pulling his gut onto her knees as she dropkicks him hard.
“Seems like I won the bet and I learned something new it seems touching you gives some leeway in a fight Red... Red are you ok you seem a bit out of breath.
“I I’m fine just winded you caught me by surprise there and smart thinking using what you know about me in the fight I doubt anyone would be brave enough to get in close like you just did to land a hit on me and pretty hard one as well.”
Silica gives a cheeky smile before replying.
“Actually Red I found out when you grabbed my fist before it’s how I was able to swing that kick at you for a brief moment I could fight without the system doing it for me.”
“Interesting if that’s the case then i wonder how long it lasts after contacts broken let’s find out take my hand the see how many things you can do that you shouldn’t do after you let go.”
After a few minutes of testing Sillica lets out a groan of frustration rubbing her head as she feels a headache forming before speaking. “Ok so we found out someone has to be holding onto you to do anything the game won’t allow so good news is only a insane person has a chance to find out as no one is brave enough to hold onto you in a fight though that makes for some fighting combinations.”
“You have a point maybe I should start working with you and Kirito to create some attacks using this to our advantage maybe boosting up onto larger bosses or embedding a blade into them to do continuous damage but I have to be careful if my blood gets onto there blade I don’t think the games system would save people from being sliced in half.”
Silica shudders at the mental imaging in her head before speaking. “Ok then I win the bet so let’s go explore the town see what people have to offer or what they can make you never know what we might find besides you need to get your armour repaired and some healing potions of a vender so you can stop your bleeding if hurt.”
Red nods in agreement smirking about finally doing something. “Sounds like a plan and I could do with a new sword that’s harder to break I’ve lost a dozen so far never a good blacksmith when I need one and I don’t have the materials to make my old swords either.”
“That’s good I think there’s a blacksmith in town she’s said to be the best in the game and is a player not a npc so she could help buff it for you and your armour quickly?” Sillica suggest as Red sighs.
“Fine but don’t expect me to explain the how my armour is broken like it is right now so let’s get going you know where the shop is.
Silica nods before replying. “Yup just follow me.”
“Really?” Red sighed, annoyed. “Just… Really?”
“‘Gone material gathering,’” Silica read, squinting at the note pinned to the door. “‘Be back in a day.’ Well, that’s inconvenient.”
“One of the many, many adjectives that describes my life as a whole,” he groaned, shaking his head in exasperation.
“Your life isn’t that bad,” Umbra mumbled, trying to sound encouraging.
Red ignored the shadow demon and focused his attention on his corporeal companion, asking, “Sooo…? In the meantime, what do you think we should do?”
“Well, we’re not exactly low on food, but it wouldn’t hurt to shop for more,” Silica suggested, humming in thought. “Then again? We could just have some fun around the town.”
“Ooh! I like having fun,” Red boasted, grinning. “What kinda fun we talking about? Messing with royals? Beheading some monsters?”
“Uh? No,” she deadpanned, stifling a snicker at his subsequent pout. “I was thinking something a little less hectic and a little more sophisticated.”
“Ugh! Sophistication,” he grumbled, frowning exaggeratedly. “My worst nightmare.”
“Har-har. Look, there were some players nearby who were singing songs for passerby, and I figured we could go check ‘em out. I even heard they sometimes teach others how to play them too.”
“So, bards then?”
“Yeah, basically. You in?”
Red suddenly flinched as a wave of sorrow poured out from Umbra. Something up, Shadow-Cat? he asked silently.
“Nothing. I just miss Gelu,” he replied, sighing. “She would have loved listening to the bards.”
Wait, Icy is a musical nerd!?
“It is a hobby of hers, yes,” Terra confirmed. “I’m surprised you never noticed.”
“He was probably just too busy abusing her to care…” Umbra theorized, failing miserably to hide the anger in his voice. “She always said it hurt when he used her power without her permission,” he sneered pointedly.
Red winced, feeling a short pang of guilt at his words. He then returned his attention to Silica, asking, “These singers any good? I wouldn’t want to waste the day away listening to a bunch of tone-deaf posers.”
“Eh, from what I heard they were pretty good,” she proclaimed, shrugging.
Well? What do you guys think?
“I think we need to find Gelu and Ignis,” Umbra insisted.
I know, kid; I know, he thought, frowning faintly. But it’s not like those two are just gonna show up out-of-nowhere. And since we have nothing better to do right now, why not?
Red could tell that Umbra was decidedly against this plan, less out of disinterest and more out of concern for the others, but he then felt Terra comfort the younger demon, assuring, “We will find the siblings, Umbra. For now, all we can do is wait until we gain a clue to their whereabouts.”
“I know,” he mumbled. “I just miss them.”
A part of Red honestly missed the duo as well, but he was nowhere near ready to admit that to himself, let alone Umbra and Terra. Before his distracted silence could become any more suspicious than it already was, Red smiled. “Alright then. Sounds good,” he said to Silica who smiled as well. “But don’t expect me to sing along. Got it?”
“Aww, but I thought you said your race likes singing?” she teased, crossing her arms.
“We do. There’s just this, uh, ‘thing’ that happens when we do.”
“What sort of ‘thing’?”
“The sort of thing that I do not want to have to explain.”
“Mhmm. Whelp? In any case, come on then,” Silica beckoned, walking away. “Let’s go see if those players really are tone-deaf posers.”
For the briefest of seconds, Red could almost hear Gelu’s voice practically begging for that not to be the case. He then flinched once he realized that feeling was coming from Umbra who was silently wishing Gelu were still with them so she could actually do that.
“Umbra…?” Terra sighed solemnly. “Perhaps you should rest.”
“I don’t want to rest until I know our friends are safe,” he shot back without skipping a beat.
It’s okay, kid, Red comforted quietly. We’ll find them. And when we do? He smirked, promising, We’ll bring Gelu and Ignis around to the bards. How’s that sound?
“Wait, you will!?” Umbra squealed, utterly dumbfounded that Red would promise such a thing.
Hey, you said Icy was a musical nerd, and, well? I sorta owe her one, he conceded.
“Do you promise?” he whispered, a hopeful tone overtaking his previous somber one.
Umbra may have been the youngest of the four demons, but Red had never really appreciated that fact until just now. Yeah, Umbra. I promise.
Pure, unadulterated joy radiated from the shadow demon who squeed delightedly, nearly causing Red to burst out singing then and there. It didn’t help that a wave of pride also emanated from Terra, adding to the joyful sensation.
“You know? I think Gelu will really appreciate doing that with you, Red,” the earth elemental commented. “Although? I suspect she will want you to sing along with them too once that time comes.”
What!? No!
“Well, it’s not like you’re going to let her sing along with them, so…? You singing would be the next best thing,” he said coyly.
Yeah, well? I’m not going to sing, Gramps. You know what happens when I do.
“Your loss, heh-heh-heh,” Terra chortled knowingly as he and the others faded into Red’s subconscious.
Red then snorted and hurried up after Silica, vowing to himself, Yeah, no. I am not going to sing! Not now, not then; not ever. Absolutely not. No musical numbers for me, no sirree! Nope, nope, and nope. Eenope… Not gonna sing.
Several hours later…
“Wow, Red!” Silica laughed as the last traces of a whimsical symphony faded away into the distance. “I never knew that you had such an amazing singing voice.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Red grumbled, blushing vividly as the echoes of his roommates’ laughter subsided into his subconscious once more. “Don’t get too used to it.”
“Hee-hee. So? I’m guessing that ‘thing’ you mentioned was that whole spontaneous music, huh?”
“Please don’t ask.”
“Oh, I’m gonna ask. And I’m gonna keep asking until you answer,” she threatened, grinning.
Knowing full-well that she meant that, Red rolled his eyes and explained, “My race loves to sing, me included. And, well? It’s pretty pointless to sing without music, wouldn't you say?”
“So, what? You just generate it out of thin air, or something?”
“Evidently,” he confirmed, shrugging noncommittally. “Don’t ask me how it works ‘cause I don’t know. All I know is that it can go on for ages and is exhausting as Tartarus.”
“Uh-huh.” Silica then gave his shoulder a light jab, praising, “That’s pretty cool though. Instant musical numbers whenever you want? Sounds nice.”
Red remained silent for a moment before attesting, “Yeah, it is nice.” He then stopped walking and reminisced, “Back home…? We sang like that all the time. I mean, I wouldn’t always join in, but I would always listen. No matter what I was doing, I would always stop to listen to whatever song was going on,” he confessed, his eyes becoming unfocused as he thought back to his home.
Silica caught on to his dismay and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hey? You okay?”
Red snapped out of his daze and assured, “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m always fine…”
“You don’t sound fine,” she commented neutrally.
“…I just miss home,” he admitted, regretting his confession almost immediately.
Silica fully intended to speak further on the matter, but before she could, they received a notification from Kirito, and Red opened it, blurting out, “Oh, look! Let’s see what sword boy’s up to!”
“Red, I—”
“‘Hey, Red! Check out this sword me and Lizbeth found,’” Red read the text, cutting her off. “‘It’s made of pure ice, but it’s also being guarded by two dragons. Wanna help grab it?’” He snorted and wrote back, “‘Heh, sure. I’ll be right over; just know that you’re paying for my armor-repair bill once the blacksmith gets back from supply gathering.’”
Silica steeled her gaze, recognizing Red didn’t want to speak any more about his past but by no means accepting it. “Red, what’s wrong? Come on, you know you can talk to—”
“Hey, Silica,” Red interrupted, desperately trying to preemptively prevent her from prying into his past again. “If you could, do ya mind letting the others know I’m going to be back a little late? This’ll probably take a while. Bye!” he unceremoniously said, stepping into a patch of shadows.
“Oh, no, you don’t!” she yelped, swiftly grabbing onto him.
“Wait, what are you—” he barked, trying to shove her off of him, but it was too late.
The darkness enveloped both of them, and in the next second, it relinquished both of them back into the world.
“Get off!” Red shouted, managing to tear himself away from her grasp. “What is wrong with you!?”
Silica’s response was cut off when a powerful blast of wind passed over both of them, causing her to flinch and shiver violently. “O-O-Okay! Maybe n-not my b-b-best idea!” she stuttered, instantly regretting her rash choice. “It’s freezing here!”
“Ya think?” he deadpanned, suddenly very grateful for Gelu and Ignis’ presence. “You got any warmer clothing to change into?”
“Y-Yeah, I think so. Just g-g-give me a moment.”
While she went about doing that, Red turned his gaze elsewhere and found the black-robed Kirito sliding toward him along the frosty ground, coming to a stop just at Red’s hooves. “Heya, sword boy, how’s the weather down there?” Red asked, grinning sardonically.
“Cold,” he answered bluntly. He then raised a hand, and Red helped him rise back to his feet. “Thanks for coming so quickly; these guys aren’t as easy to beat as I thought they’d…” Kirito then noticed Silica and called out, “Huh? Silica, what are you doing here?”
“She tagged along,” Red explained, frowning angrily.
“Well, why did you let her?” Kirito asked, a note of anger penetrating his ordinarily stoic voice. “It’s dangerous!”
Before Red could respond, a roar echoed across the land, followed swiftly by another fresh, freezing zephyr..