Part 1(Jen)

 The town of Trabia always bustled on spring days such as this one.  Women come out of their homes to forage through the marketplace for any items they discovered that they couldn’t live without through the long winter months.  Men could barter for seeds and animals for farming.  Wanders make their way through the main streets, passing through before going off for adventure or treasure seeking.  The streets are lined with booths where each seller spouts off reason why their goods are superior to all others, mostly nonsense of course.  But the ebullient atmosphere surrounding the town could make even the gloomiest person turn a smile.

“Hey there miss, you look a little lost.  Can I help you?” a shopkeeper asks a young woman. 

“Yes actually, I was wondering where I could find a place to stay.”  She is dressed in plain, patch quilt clothes that drape over her body, seemingly obliterating any indication as to her physical build.  Her short brown hair and deep brown eyes mark her as a foreigner as much as her northern accent.  Her petite frame making her look only the age of 16, an age far too young for a girl to be out alone.  From the way she holds herself you can tell that she is a good many years older than that and that she’d spent a lot of time on her own.

“Tell you what.  You buy one of these necklaces here, and I’ll help you out,” the shopkeeper states looking smug.  While gazing over the meager amount of merchandise she feels a slight brush up against her side.  It was a touch that most people would assume as nothing, but she knew differently.  Without hesitation she presses a release button on her side and kicks out the bow hidden underneath her shroud.  An arrow tumbles out of her sleeve.  While turning, she deftly loads the weapon before shooting from the hip.¹  

All the merchants stare in awe at the girl.  They had never in their lives seen such a display, especially not from a female.  But equally shocked is the would-be criminal who stands pale faced and unmoving. The arrow stuck into the support beam of a shop not even two inches in front of his face.  She closes the distance between them and sticks out her hand waiting.  The boy seems too stunned to even move, his eyes not even blinking as the girl tears the arrow out of the split wood.  “I’d like my money back if you don’t mind.”  She stands waiting patiently, but it appears that it won’t hold up for much longer. 

“How…how’d you know?”

“Oh come off it, you aren’t that good,” she states while rolling the arrow in her hands to see if it was still straight after the impact.  Deciding that it was salvageable she stuffs it back up her sleeve and slings the bow over her shoulder.   “Would you stop staring at me and give me back my pouch?”

He finally brings out the tiny satchel and barely flinches as the girl snatches it away.  

“You’re so kind.”  With this she storms away leaving the dumbfounded pickpocket staring at her back. 

He is startled out of his daze by the sound of his partner’s whisper, “Guess you tried to steal from the wrong kind of chick.”

“Did you see how she pulled that thing?”

“Yeah, I’ve only known one girl who could do something like that.  But she’s long gone, taken by bandits back when we were just kids back in Sainsu.”

“You don’t think…”

“No.”

“It is possible you know,” he states turning towards the girl.

“Do you know what those bandits do you young girls?”

“Well, not exactly.”

“Horrible things,” she states, her deep brown eyes casting over with an icy stare.   “I couldn’t even imagine what she had to go through in those tyrants’ hands.  She’s probably long dead by now, rest her soul.”

“But…”

“Drop it, it’s not her.  But I do want to keep an eye on this girl, she might cause some problems in our business.”

  After the attempted robbery, the strange girl had made her way to a small pond on the outskirts of town.  She sits on the shore of the body of water that really could be called no more then a hole in the ground, her toes drawing circles in the mud.  Her shoes were carefully placed on the grass above before making her way down. 

Leaning back on her hands she looks up at the sky and ponders her own existence.  Only one image enters her mind, an image she can’t shake.

“Dammit, why did I let that little punk get to me?”  She grabs a nearby rock and chucks it into the water.  She watches as the dense material causes a splash before sinking to the bottom, also as the ripples from the impact spread along the surface.  The action does nothing to help her present state.

“Jeez, it’s not like he was /that/ good looking.  Plus he’s a kid, and a common thief!  At least if you’re going to be a thief have the decency to become a good thief.  What kind of thief steals from a girl all on her own anyways?  Obviously one with no respect whatsoever.  It’s not like I look like I have money either.  I thought these stupid rags I’m wearing would tip anyone off that I came from the wrong side of the carriage path.  I should teach him a lesson, I’m sure that would make Nigel proud of me.

“Yeah, that’s it.  I’ll teach that little brat what it is to mess with the daughter of bandits.  I’ll have him begging for mercy before sundown.  He’ll be weeping for his mommy.  Sucking his thumb like a toddler.  Wetting his pants!”

“Do you make it a habit of talking to yourself?”

“Uh…of course I do!” She states matter of factly.  Turning towards the owner of the voice, “What kind of self-respecting person can’t hold a conversation with themselves?  I personally think that it is one of the most key elements that could keep a person from the brink of insanity.”  

“I think you tumbled off the other side a long time ago.”  It was a girl around the same age as herself.  Her brown hair pulled into twin braids.  The smirk on her face seeming to only show part of her mischievous side.  “I saw what you did back there in town.  Quite impressive.”

“For some reason I have the idea that you didn’t come out here just to say that.”

“Well, I guess I did have other motives.”

“I’d love to hear them.”

“It seems you’re not from around here, mind telling me where you are from?”

“What does it matter?  I’m just a wonderer passing through.”

“Listen here, I OWN this town and if I ask you a question you better answer it or you’ll have to deal with my associate.”  She points to the tree line where the boy from earlier this morning is leaning up against a tree.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

“Actually I am.  He may be one of the best pickpockets, but when it comes to anything else he’s a lost cause.”

“So what is it that you’re going to threaten me with?”

“Nothing actually, I was just hoping that you’d answer the question.”

“We’ll I’m not, so you might have to start thinking of a plan B.”

“If that’s the way you want it, but just let me ask you one last thing.”

“I’m listening.”

“Where did you learn to shoot a bow like that?”

“My father taught me, he was one of the best.  If you don’t mind I’ll be going now.”  She quickly puts her shoes back on and trudges back through the path.

“Aren’t you going to follow her?”  The boy asks his partner.

“No, but you are.”

Just before sunset the boy had managed to follow the strange girl to the local pub. It was a dirty backwater type place where the ruffians from down the block would go to drink themselves into a stupor…or as far from their normal intelligence as possible.  She plops herself down at the bar and orders a drink.  Her appearance warrants a suspicious look from the bartender, but when she pays him in advance he willingly obliges. 

The boy takes the seat next to her and orders a glass of water from the barkeep who gives him a ‘you aren’t going to pay for anything are you?’ look. She pretends not to notice him and his close proximity.  It wasn’t until he leaned in closer that she spoke.  “If you plan on liberating me of my purse again you can forget about it.”

“I wasn’t going to do anything like that, honest!”

“For some reason I don’t believe you.  A petty thief like you wouldn’t know the first thing about the truth even if it came up and bit you on the ass.”

“That hurts.  I’m not here because of what little money someone like you could possess.  I’m here cuz the boss wants me here; no more, no less”

“What does your boss want with me?  I’ve done nothing, just passing through.”

“I expected more from someone raised by bandits.”

She stops talking and just sits twirling her drink in her hand.

“I’m right aren’t I?  You were kidnapped and raised by bandits.”

“That’s none of your damn business.”

“She misses you, you know.”

“Who?”

“You know who.”

“I’m not in the mood for guessing games,” she states while taking a drink and grimacing as the liquid burns down her throat.  “What do they put in this stuff?  It’ll burn the hairs right out of your nose if you sniff it.”

A few minutes of uncomfortable silence passes between the two as each guzzles down what remains of their drinks.

“So are you going to tell me who this person is who misses me so, pickpocket?”

“The name is Duo, not pickpocket.  And no, I think I’ll keep you in suspense for a bit longer.”

“You’re too kind,” she states resuming her glass twirling.  “So, how did you end up somebody’s bitch?”

“WHAT?!?”

“Oh come on, do not even try and tell that’s not what you are.  It’s pretty obvious by the way you follow that chica around like a lost puppy that she’s doing more for you then you let on.”

“I’m my own man.  She’s just my partner.”

“Oh, didn’t know you two went that far.”

“Not that kind of partner!”

“Whoops, my mistake.”

“You are a pain, I don’t know how anyone can stand you for very long.”

“I’ll grow on ya.”  Once again silence falls between the two.

“How can you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Sit there and do nothing!”

 “It’s quite easy when you don’t have an itch in your pants.  What is it with teenage boys, always gotta be doing something.  But if you’re so needing of something to do you could always tell me who misses me.”

“Someone from Sainsu.”  She almost knocks her glass over when the name is spoken.  “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“That was a long time ago, too long.  It would be best if you forgot about whatever you were going to say and forget about me.”

“Ah, but can you forget about her?”

“Why do you insist on playing these guessing games?  Is it not enough that you know more of my past then most of the people I call family?”

“Even though I do feel honored by that statement, I do believe that there is someone else in this town that you need to talk to.”

“Let me guess, your master?”

“I’m just gonna pretend you didn’t say that.  But yes, I’m sure the name Danae will ring a bell for you.”

“Never heard of him.”

“It’s not a him you idiot!”

“Alright then, I’ve never heard of her.  What is with you anyways?  Isn’t there someone else you could be bugging right now?”

“Nope, just you.”

“Figures.  So why don’t you enlighten me, oh annoying one, who is this Danae?”

“Just someone from Sainsu that you might know.  If you want to know more, I suggest you meet me out by the river bend at midnight.”

“Oh, are we going to roast marshmallows and tell spooky stories?”

“Would you act normal for one minute of your life?”

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Just be there.”   With his last statement he leaves the bar.

The bartender asks her if she wants a refill, which she graciously accepts.  If she’s going to spend a couple more hours with that jovial baka she better not be sober enough to regret it in the morning.

At half to the designated time the wanderer is already at the tree line near the river bend.  She spends the time leaning against the trunk of a large oak and staring meaningfully into the midnight blue stream.  She doesn’t notice the time passing before her new acquaintance arrives.

 Duo walks up behind her carefully before poking her back, startling her.  “Whatcha doin?”

“Dammit!  Don’t walk up on me like that; you almost gave me a bleeding ulcer.  And why did you drag me all the way out here anyways, couldn’t I have met whoever you wanted me to meet in the comfort of the bar?  Not like I wasn’t comfortable nursing my drinks in there.”

“Would you keep your voice down, she doesn’t know you’re here.”

“What are you trying to pull?  You drag me out here to meet someone who doesn’t even know they’re meeting me and mmmphhhffff mmpppfhhhhff.”  She rips his hand off her mouth, “What the hell did you do that for?”

“I told you to be quiet, now just stay here for a minute and I’ll bring her back.”

“What a retard.  I can’t believe he talked me into coming out all this way on a cold night just to meet someone that I might not want to see in the first place.  If it’s anyone from Sainsu, I already know that I don’t want to see them.  Who would want to see someone from a place with such horrible memories, a place where no one seemed to care when you disappeared.  I should just leave right now before even meeting whoever this person is.”

“There she is doing it again!  What is with this girl Duo, and why do you want me to meet someone who seems to have more fun having conversations with herself then with anyone else?”

He leans back on his heels looking proud of his meager accomplishment.  “Now Danae, you said to me that you came from a little place called Sainsu right?”

“I don’t see what this has to do with anything.”

“It will once you let me finish up what I was trying to say.  Now, you said you came from Sainsu right?” 

“Yes.”

“Well, this girl here says she’s from Sainsu.”

“I never said that,” the wanderer states.  “You just assumed I was from there.”

Duo looks frustrated at his brilliant plan falling to scraps around his feet.  “I can’t believe this!  Here I’m just trying to reunite two people who haven’t seen each other for ages and all they can do is shoot down my efforts.  Well fine!  Be that way!  I can also play that game!”  He turns away from the two in order to pout without them being able to tell.  His voice cracks as he continues, “All I wanted was for Danae to finally find a little bit of happiness.  She’s done so much for me already and I just wanted to be able to repay her in some little way, if it was possible.  But instead she shuns me and calls me names.”

“Duo!  Stop it already, I don’t hate you.”  She places a comforting arm around her partner, “ I do appreciate it, I really do.  So who is this girl that you have brought me here to meet?”

Finally happy that all his hard work is getting recognized, “Danae, this girl is the daughter of bandits.”

“So.”

“She’s from Sainsu.”

“Would you please get to the point before I push you in the river?”

“She’s Jen.”

A shocked silence erupts between the three.  “You’re Jen?”

“How did he know my name?” questions the now extremely puzzled Jen.

“You’re alive?”

“In a matter of speaking, but I like to think that I’m among the living.  Now would someone please explain what the hell is going on?”

Duo, looking extremely satisfied with himself states, “It wasn’t very hard to figure out that you we’re Jen, Danae’s long lost friend from back in Sainsu.  After Danae’s comment about your magnificent bowmanship…”

“It is rather great isn’t it?”

“…and with your comment about being raised by bandits, I easily deduced who you are.”

“But that doesn’t explain who she is.” Jen states pointing an accusing finger at Danae.

“How can you not recognize someone that you were such good friends with?”

“I knew no one named Danae.”

“That’s because I didn’t go by the name Danae back in Sainsu.” Danae intervenes.  “Back then I went by Dani.”

“Dani?  You…you’re Dani?”

 “That’d be me.”

“You bitch.” Jen spit at Dani releasing her weapon and aiming at the girls face.

“Well, it’s obvious that you two have some unresolved issues so I’ll just be going now.”  Duo attempts to sneak off but is only tripped by his own partner.

“So Dani, why don’t you tell me why it was so easy to forget about me once the bandits took me?  Was I not a good enough friend to come looking for?  Or was it just more convenient to forget and move on?”

“Jen there was so many things happening at the time.”

“Save your excuses for someone who cares.”  She slowly lowers the weapon before placing it back on her hip.  “I should have known better then to wait for you to come get me.  I hoped everyday that you would show up and take me away from my nightmare.  But you never came, and I was forced through hell before those men accepted me.”

“Jen, I…”

“Save it.”  She sinks to the ground.  “I know it wasn’t your fault, but I still had hope that you’d be able to help me.  When you didn’t come, it just killed me inside.  Every time that one of them used me…I just wish you could have protected me.”  Her head falls between her knees, “I’ve had to put it all behind me, forget everything.  I’m not the same person I was when you knew me so long ago.”

“You aren’t the only one who’s changed.  Once you were taken away, my life was completely turned upside-down.  Your parents were furious with everyone, they couldn’t believe that you had been taken right under everyone’s noses.  You were the only thing that mattered to them.  Dammit Jen, they blamed me.  As you remember, we were always together and they knew that.  So they knew that I was with you when those bastards took you.”

“Dani, I…”

“The point is, we both suffered.  But now the only thing that matters now is that we are back together at long last, and now we can finally keep that promise we made to each other.”

“That we were gonna marry if neither of us…,” Jen stops only by an elbow to her stomach.

“I sincerely hope not.  Did you actually make that promise to someone?”

Jen stares at her feet before mumbling, “Possibly.”

“You are a baka. No, our promise to travel and fight together.”

“We were just kids when we made that promise, it’s not like we’re going to go searching for trouble now are we?”

“Did living with bandits make you go soft?  Of course we are going to go look for it, trouble just doesn’t find you!”

“I beg to differ.  After all, we weren’t looking for trouble when those bandits blocked the road that day so long ago.  My mother had a bad feeling before we left for town that day.  She begged my father not to let me go with you, but he thought she was only talking nonsense again.”

“Was your mother always talking nonsense?”  Duo chimes in still laying on the ground.

“What business is it of yours?”

“Well, it just sounds from the way you say it that your mother flew over the cuckoo’s nest one too many times.” 

“Dani, how can you work with this boy.  I mean, it’s pretty obvious that he’s not very bright, come on…what is with that hair?!”

“Hey, this hair has sentimental value,” he states getting to his feet.

“So does my dog, but you don’t see me dragging its carcass around flipping it into people’s faces.”

“My hair is nothing like a dead dog!”

“I beg to differ, it looks like it’s rotting.  Are you sure you don’t have maggots running around on your scalp?”  Jen leans over to examine his hair, which looks like it hasn’t been tended to for months.  Strands from his braid stick out its entire length.  “I think I see something!”  She pulls something from the tangles.  “Oh, just a mealworm.”

“JUST A MEALWORM!!” Duo screams as he takes off.

“I hope he’s going to go take a bath,” she states looking at the insect.

“Knowing him, he’s going to be taking his first bath this year now.  Although I must thank you, I’ve been trying for a month to get him clean.  Every time he comes up with some lame excuse about how boys don’t have to smell good, it makes them more masculine.  I’ve smelled oxen that have a more pleasant aroma then he does.”  Dani turns just in time to see Jen pulling her hand away from her mouth.  “You didn’t.”

Jen diverts her eyes attempting to look innocent.

“Jen, tell me you just didn’t do what I thought you did.”

“I guess that depends on what you thought you saw.”

“I thought I saw you eat that mealworm, please tell me I’m wrong.”

All she does is shrug her shoulders.

“Oh God Jen, you haven’t changed one bit!”  She screams wrapping her arms around her long lost friend.  “I’m sorry that I couldn’t help you before.”

“It wasn’t your fault.  You were just a kid, like me, and there was nothing that you could have done.  But promise me that we’ll stay together from now on and that if one of us is in deep shit the other one will be there to pull us out.”

“I promise.”

A sniffling sound starts up from the tree line.  Both girls immediately separate and ready themselves for an attack.  Jen’s arm instinctively drops to her bow release button, the weapon readied within a matter of seconds.  Dani quickly pulls a dagger from her belt.  “Who’s there?”  There is no reply, but the sniffling continues as before.  “Would you tell us who you are already?  I don’t have patience for this right now.”

“Wait Jen, know your enemy.”

“Right.”  She aims quickly and releases an arrow.  “Hope I didn’t hit her.”

“What makes you think it is a her?”

“Only chicks snivel like that.  Or maybe some wimpy guys, but I bet it’s a girl.”

“Why did you shoot anyways?”

“Always send a volley.  I believe I aimed high enough not to hit whoever it is, but you never know.  I mean it is pretty dark out here.”

Dani places her hand on her hip, “And what if you hit them?  It could be just some person out for a stroll and all the sudden they’re cut down by an ambient arrow.  I know I’d be pissed if that happened to me.”

“You look on the dark side, can’t you just trust that I’m able to shoot well enough not to hit them?  Then we’ll both feel better about this situation.”

“I can’t believe you sometimes.” 

“Owww!”

“What?!”

“Mosquito bit me!”

“Would you be serious for once in your life?”

“Have you ever known me to be serious?”

“Well, no.”

“See, you’re expecting too much.” 

During the time that Jen and Dani are bickering they fail to notice the stealthy body creeping up behind them.  With a fluid motion the girls heads are bashed together, they bodies crumpling to the soft earth.

Note: When I say shoot from the hip I don’t literally mean from the hip like in the westerns cuz that’s just impossible with a bow with the whole pulling back of the string and everything…of course if you got a kids bow, but that’s not the point.  What I mean is shooting without even aiming ^_^