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To Chase Lightning Step One: Scout Him Out
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There were
little few luxuries in life that the man who called himself Viktor could
afford, much less allow himself to indulge in. Good food, for starters, was
one of those things; He could outeat most anyone with two legs, in any
inn in any city in any country, and perhaps enough left over for dessert.
Leona used to joke how it was a miracle the Jowston City-State
resistance had weathered through the Highland war with ample food supply,
in spite of him pigging out at her tavern at every opportunity. Strong brown
ale was the other; he chugged them down the way people do water,
could keep at it for several hours if he had nothing else better to do. He
could outdrink as much as he could outeat everyone, with a few exceptions. He
still had a rematch to settle with Rina; it didn't seem right to concede
defeat to a sexy tarot-reading gypsy who looked young enough to be his
daughter.
Younger sister.
He wasn't *that* old.
Indulgence
number three came in the form of a bathmaker named Tetsu, and Viktor always
thanked his lucky stars that the Genkaku boy had recruited him for his army.
Tetsu, as his job description stated for itself, made baths, the men's
and women's areas separated by a long thick wall at the middle; and not just
ordinary baths. Lord, but can that boy make the warmest and toastiest saunas
he could sink his body in. When not eating or drinking, Viktor chose to while
away the rest of the day immersed in delightfully soapy bubbles and warm
water. He had been in a sauna once, way back during the Gate Rune War, and
being able to be in one now was just a reminder of how much he missed it.
A small wave at
Tetsu, sitting right outside the area like a mother hen fussing over her
chicks, and he was within reach of that delightful sauna, where the water
lolled invitingly at him. He need no other encouragement. Quickly tossing off
his clothes and sword (a good thing he had chosen to leave the Star Dragon
Sword behind; two to one chance the smart-mouthed blade would rave about
ghouls and his supposed superioirity and ruin his bath) to one side with
a negligent flick of his hand, Viktor stuck a toe into the bathtub, then
slowly inched himself down, savoring the heat, a soft happy "Aaahh."
escaping with a sigh from his lips. Heaven.
Heaven, that
is, until a large bubble right next to where he sat broke free, and Flik's head
popped out of the water, a inch or so away from some of the more delicate
portions of Viktor's anatomy.
Viktor had
fought demons, vampires, monsters; and had won more battles than he had
fingers and toes, emerging from them all alive and kicking. The hell if he
would die now by drowning in a hot tub. He hadn't had this much of a scare
since the time McDohl had set a Peeing Boy statue in the upper right corner of the
Toran Liberation Army's tub, a spot he usually frequented. Or the time
when he decorated the sauna's walls and stands with hex dolls and graffiti.
The green-bandanna-wearing leader had a weird sense of humor sometimes.
Viktor gurgled,
struggling to stand and trying to inhale as much air as he could into his
lungs as possible. "Flik! WHat the #@%#$ are you doing, surprising me
like that?!" He sputtered. "You nearly scared the living daylights
outta me!"
"Sorry." Flik mumbled, part of the blue bandanna he wore around his
forehead sagging down one eye. That was another of his peculiarities; he
didn't seem to take off that bandanna wherever he went, even in the shower,
apparently. Gingerly, he set it back up right. "Wasn't expecting someone
to come here at this time of the night."
Viktor realized
that he was standing, and that the water level only reached up to his thighs
when he did so. He quickly sat back down, hoping that Flik would mistake the
faint redness on his cheeks as from the heat. "Yeah, well...what the hell
were you doing, underwater like that. You're not hiding again, are you?"
It was Flik's
turn to turn red, cheeks growing warm. "I wasn't hiding."
"Uh-huh.
That's why you're here, trying to learn how to breathe underwater." Flik
glared at him, but Viktor couldn't help but grin back. The young Greenhill
lady was a private and personal joke between them; Flik might not think that
way, but Viktor did, and that was what mattered. For someone who called
himself the Blue Lightning and met whole armies head-on, he couldn't for the
life of him imagine why Flik was scared of some slip of a girl, persistent as
she was. Viktor had fun helping him hide almost as much as he did teasing
him about Nina.
"If you're
not interested, go tell her so. Why try to hide out for the rest of your life
from a girl when a word to her can put an end to that?"
"You don't
understand." Flik growled, shifting into a more comfortable position.
"That girl won't take no for an answer. She latches onto me everytime she
sees me and barely lets me get a word in edgewise, she stalks me wherever
I go, she even tried to trap me in here all alone once!" If Flik's face
could get any redder, he was doing so at that very moment.
Viktor tried
hard not to guffaw. "Well, Nina ain't bad-looking anyway. A little young,
but pretty all the same. Why not take her up on her offer and see where it
leads?"
Flik gaped at
him. "Viktor! I can't! I mean....there's someone....." he trailed
off, closing his eyes briefly. "I just...can't." He finished
lamely.
The smile left
Viktor's face. He knew who Flik was referring to. Three years ago, Flik had
met and fell in with the former Toran Liberation Army leader, Odessa
Silverburg. More than just 'fell in'; he fell in love and she with him as
well. Unfortunately, she died when the original rebel headquarters were
raided, and McDohl had taken charge shortly after. Viktor had never forgiven
himself; he had promised Flik that he would keep Odessa safe. Fat of a lot of
good his word was.
He supposed
first loves die hard - an image of a tall woman, large blue eyes and a mass of
curly red hair past her shoulders, swam into his vision - but he also knew
that there must be a time for letting go. He doubted Flik had.
"Flik,"
Viktor said quietly, as gently as he could. He loved Odessa too, but in a
different way than Flik had. "You can't chase ghosts forever."
"I
know." Flik opened his eyes, a small shadow passing over his face.
"I know." He said again, more to himself this time than to Viktor.
The door to the
sauna opened. "Oh, Fliiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkkkk?"
"Down!" Viktor half-barked, half-hissed, shoving Flik underwater.
Flik opened his mouth, partly in fear and partly in protest, but whatever
words he attempted to form were drowned out as soon as his open mouth met hot
water. "Gluk!"
"Helloooo??
Who's there???" A footfall.
"It's
Viktor!" He yelled out, watching tiny bubbles ascend from the submerged
head he was holding down. "Just me! No one else! Don't come into this
part of the room!"
"Oh! I'm
so sorry, Sir Viktor!" The door closed. "Fliiikkk?" He could
hear her call from outside, the sound of her voice slowly receding.
Viktor waited a
few moments more, then let go. Flik burst up into the surface, eyes wild and
chest heaving. "What are you doing, man?! Drowning me like -"
"Shush!" Viktor growled, though a surprising revelation that a man
of his height and build could get away with shushing. "*She* just came
in, you idiot!"
That shut Flik
up, fast. "Is she still here?" He whispered nervously, looking like
he was about ready to run.
Viktor rolled
his eyes. Flik was normally a smart, no-nonsense man, but this!...."She's
gotta mean something to you, Flik, no matter how you feel, and especially if
she can get to you like this." Viktor moderated his tone. "You can
either tell her to go away, or not, but whatever way you choose, you'll
have to do it soon, if you still want to retain at least some of your
sanity."
Flik stared at
him as if Viktor just suggested he fight five Ruka Brights with a toothpick.
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Young Wakaba
was bored. It was true that Wakaba liked her master, the world-reknowned
martial artist Long Chan Chan, who would teach her his special techniques as
soon as she deemed herself a worthy enough student in his eyes, but the
self-same world-reknowned martial artist was too busy eating everything on his
table to pay much attention to her. After all, to have a sound mind, one must
first have a sound body, or so he said. Every other word that came from Long
Chan Chan's mouth was either a snarf or a gobble, and the rest was gibberish
that she couldn't make heads or tails of, and he was supposed to be giving her
a formal lecture on a true martial artist's proper attitude. She looked away,
at the other people who frequented Han Yo's restaurant in Northwind
Castle. Besides, Long Chan Chan did not look his best when his mouth was full
of grilled beef and fried ice cream.
While her
mentor busily stuffed his face with food, Wakaba amused herself by looking at
the other diners nearby. The giant golden warrioress Hannah was sitting a few
tables over, wrinkling her nose slightly and staring down at her plate with
mild distaste. Master Long Chan Chan had always said that speed and skill, and
not muscles, were necessary in winning a fight or battle. Beside her, Kuromimi
and Gon were jabbering away excitedly, heads bent close together. Master Long
Chan Chan had looked at those two kobolds with approval, saying that they had
the pluckiness and the speed to overcome any opponent, no matter how big. What
they need, he says, was a few more practices with their technique, taught by
someone with much fighting expertise; such as himself, for example......
A sudden
movement caught at the corner of her eye, attracted her. Blue cape, matching
dark breeches. Slightly rumpled yellow shirt, baggy pants. No doubt about it,
it was Sir Flik and Sir Viktor, just sitting down on another table not far
away. Master Long Chan Chan said that those two were just about the
epitome of what a fighter was all about, only a peg or two lower than he is.
Coming from Master Long Chan Chan, that was a compliment all by itself. Wakaba
perked up suddenly, a grin spreading onher pert face. Flik always did remind
her of pizza. Leaning closer to their table, and not trying to be
too obvious about it, Wakaba strained her ears to eavesdrop onto her
conversation.
"......not.....I'm...."
"....just
don't....."
Damn. She
couldn't hear much. Shifting her chair a little, she was able to, after
several tries, to round her chair closer to where the other two sat, still
barely noticing her. Their voices sounded clearer, too.
"....shy?"
"....am
not! She's too young........different......might get hurt....."
"...face
it, Nina's.......might be a good influence....."
"....like
her......"
Wakaba's
ears wiggled off their own accord. She always did that when she was
happy. Now she had something to tell Nina! For anything she can
tell Nina about Flik, the blond girl would make for her one of her
delicious pizzas. Maybe that's why Flik always reminded her of pizza. And it
wasn't bribery, technically. Master Long Chan Chan had always said that anyone
who gave food as a gift or for services rendered isn't so bad as what other
people might think.
"Chomp...swallow......Wakaba! Are you listening to me?!" Wakaba
snapped back into attention, her gaze reverting back to her mentor, who glared
at her above empty plates and bowls. "An excellent martial artist must
always concentrate on paying attention to the matter at hand, Wakaba! That's
one of the core foundations in becoming a great fighter! You hear me?"
Wakaba nodded so fast, she almost felt her head come off. "Good. I, Long
Chan Chan, promise to give you more exercises and practices concerning that
matter." Long Chan Chan blinked, then caught sight of a waitress coming
their way, the bill on one hand and a determined look in her eye. "But in
the meantime, Wakaba, let's practice our uh, speed and.....ability to hide
from the enemy! I shall race you to the botanical gardens outside and see how
fast you've improved!"
"Yes,
teacher!"
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"I'm telling you Eilie, if you
don't tell him now, I will!" Rina threatened, flopping down unladylike
unto the soft grass. "You know I don't like to see you suffer so!"
"I'm not suffering!"
Eilie protested adamantly, spots of color blooming onto her cheeks.
"It's just.....he has a lot on his mind right now, what with the
Highland War over and all those paperwork to do, not to mention he's been
leading us in battles for almost a year now! Besides, it's
nothing."
"Nothing!" Rina snorted
in disgust. "You've been mooning around with a heartstruck expression
in your face whenever you so much as look at him for almost six months now,
and you call that 'nothing'?! We're worried about you, right Bolgan?"
The gentle giant looked up from
busily petting Shiro, and nodded his affirmation. "Bolgan worried
too."
"See?"
"There's nothing to worry
about!" Eilie burst out. "And if you ever tell him or anyone else
for that matter, I'll... I'll...." Eilie's voice trailed off. A girl
was walking towards them, looking dreamy-eyed enough to notice that she was
about to walk right through them as if they didn't exist, on her way
back inside Northwind Castle.
"Whoa!" Rina jumped back,
gathering up some of the tarot cards that had fallen out in mid-jump, and
glaring at the girl who was walking away. The latter didn't seem to notice.
"What's that all about?"
Eilie frowned. "What's her
name again? ....Anna? Ina?"
"Nina." Bolgan corrected
absently, still stroking Shiro's soft fur. Shiro woofed happily, conveying
in wolf terms that he was not against what Bolgan was doing.
"Oh yeah." Rina frowned,
identical as that of her younger sister's. "Wonder what's up with her?
She's wearing that same lovesick expression you do whenever you look at
Master Genka-"
"RINA!!!"
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