Wa.
Wa.
Shi.
Shi.
ShiShi.
"So... What are we doing today?"
Posing her question, she fiddled with her fingers while making random little noises in an attempt to keep herself occupied.
"You're adorable, Lulu."
"Wha– why would you just say that?!"
Caught off guard by the sudden compliment she nearly scratched her finger as she turned to Karma, looking into her smiling eyes.
Hahaha! – Laughing out at Lulu's reaction, Karma stood from her fluffy chair and sat on the bed – lying on her stomach before she began fiddling with Lulu's hair.
"Ugh."
Groaning at her attitude she turned her body away from Karma so she didn't have to see her face.
The two girls were resting in Karma's room, laying on her large mattress while they did nothing.
Karma's room, unlike Lulu's, had quite a bit of furnishing and had many other random objects strewn all over the place.
She had two large dressers in the room as she was very particular about being the most fashionable in the house at all times.
She had multiple desks for different hobbies which she used to pass by the time. Hobbies such as tinkering with machines and pulling them apart; while there was a small corner that was used to play with her powers.
Other than those places there were a variety of different things spread out in the room, trinkets and toys as such. Her room was quite a mess but was much more lived in when compared to Lulu's room which looked like an art storage unit.
"Is there something specific that you wish to do today, Lulu?"
Calming her laughter down, she let out a lighthearted sigh and curiously spoke to Lulu - stroking her hair as she did so.
"Hmmm, no idea. I'm not the best person to ask for suggestions for... fun, activities. You're the fun one here, Karma. I'll do what you want us to do."
"Well, you do stay at home all the time, you only really immerse yourself in your art. You're also really good at singing."
"Wha-what!?"
Surprised at the sudden claim of her talents she quickly flipped around and face Karma, she looked into the girl's smiling eyes with both surprise and confusion.
"H-how did you come to that conclusion, no, why? Yes, why. I've never sung-"
"I heard you singing as were out in that clearing outside the Spectral Forest once before."
"Really... well, just pretend you never heard me, okay? I know I'm not that good, my voice isn't the best because of my issues."
Rubbing her knuckles, Lulu spoke in a quiet voice.
"You got a magnificent voice though?"
"-That's not true."
Hurriedly responding to her words, Lulu hurriedly shut her mouth upon seeing the look in Karma's eye; realizing how serious she was, she took to silence.
Sighing, Karma raised her hand to Lulu's cheek, continuing to stare her in the eyes, and spoke without stuttering.
"Listen, Lulu. I know how your wounds constantly hurt you, I know how you can't see any part of yourself in a positive light because of it. I... understand that I probably won't be able to help you with that."
As she spoke a bitter look flashed in her eyes, a frown appearing on her face. She was displeased with having to say her last few words she paused before saying so.
"But when I say your voice is amazing, I mean it. Even with the problems with your throat and lungs, those injuries were unable to take away the beautiful voice you were blessed with. So, just accept the compliment, alright?"
Leaving no room for rebuttal, Karma rubbed Lulu's cheek and gave her a bright smile.
"... I- alright."
With her accepting the compliment the two girls remained silent as Karma suddenly rose to her feet moments later.
"You know what, I know what we're going to do today."
Karma's sudden rise confused Lulu, causing her to tilt her head - sitting up in the bed in response to her.
"What is it?"
Strutting to Lulu's wheelchair that was placed near the door, Karma pushed it to the bed as she beckoned for Lulu to sit in it.
"Well, you're just gonna have to wait to see, aren't cha?"
Looking into her eyes, Lulu merely sighed before crawling across the bed and sliding into the chair; slightly giggling.
"Well then, lead the way."
...
"So... mind telling me where we're headed now?"
After leaving the house and going through the cold forest for a while, Lulu finally raised the question upon spotting the large stone slabs that were situated in the middle of a surprisingly empty field, there was no grass or snow, just dirt.
"Oh yeah! I forgot."
While Karma laughed at her forgetfulness, Lulu merely rolled her eyes.
"You know what those are right, Lulu?"
"Large... stones, with symbols?"
"Yes, they are "Stargazers Guidestone". They keep the defenseless village from being attacked by any form of Spectral Beast with some kind of invisible barrier."
"Ok, I see. So what are we doing here then?"
"Well, funny that you ask - We're going to leave the barrier!"
"..."
Lulu was made silent as she turned her head to the redhead pushing her as she stared into her eyes with a straight face.
"What?"
She ignorantly asked.
"Karma, It's dangerous. Why would we exit the Guidestones protection, especially when I'm in this wheelchair?"
She spoke calmly, Lulu merely raised her questions, not raising her voice in the slightest as she attempted to stop herself from slapping Karma across the head.
"That's why I brought... these!"
Pulling a metal box out of her bag, Karma shook it - clear for Lulu's eyes to understand exactly what it was.
"You crazy little- no, where did you find these? I thought they were thrown out a long time ago."
"Nope, they decided to keep them in case of a rainy day, I guess you could consider today one of those days, hm?"
"You."
"Me."
Sighing at Karma's reaction, Lulu shook her head and took the box from her hands, taking the head off and revealing the devices she hadn't seen in a long while.
"Mind helping me with these?"
"No problem."
...
Now with the devices on her legs, they activated, lighting up in blue luminous light before they began clinking together as they covered her legs, while on her left arm were a few other devices that supported it.
"Alright, let's get on with it."
Letting out a breath, Lulu clenched her wheelchair's armrests and slowly rose to her feet, taking calming breaths with her eyes closed.
Placing her feet on the ground she spread out her arms in an attempt to steady herself before she received slight support in Karma laying her hands on her chest.
Balancing herself and getting comfortable with the devices she moved around her limbs as she got used to them, she hadn't used these since she was a child so they felt quite foreign to her at the moment.
"The most recent ones are certainly more optimal than these, but they'll work. If we encounter anything out there I trust that you'll handle them?"
"Of course, that was always the plan."
Nodding her head, Lulu pushed the wheelchair next to the Guidestones and then followed after Karma who had already begun to walk out into the Snowfields.
"So where are we going?"
"Well, there's a large fortress city a bit out, and next to that city is a large junkyard. They dump all kinds of treasures and trinkets. I found it during one of my solo hunting trips."
"Oh, that's nice. So what does that junkyard have to do with why we're going so far from the village?"
"I was just about to get to that, I found something nice in the junkyard that I've been playing with. I've been wanting to show it to you for a while now, you rarely want to leave the house and granny Nizael would never allow this."
"She is quite strict with her restrictions, I think she was supposed to come back later, before my attack, so we have our fun and return home quickly."
"You speak words of wisdom, Lulu dear."
"Stop! Just lead the way."
With her face flushed, she smacked Karma on the back as she chuckled.
...
After long moments of ducking through the Snowfields and avoiding the large beasts that occupy them such as the Trirons and Sullr, the two girls finally reached the junkyard with its tall walls; its exterior not giving off the feeling of a junkyard.
At first glance at the junkyard, Lulu was momentarily confused. How were they supposed to enter? Walking with Karma up to the massive walls she put her ear to them and knocked a couple of times, the walls were quite thick as well.
There was a gate centered on the walls as well but it looked to be locked, so...
"How do we enter, Karma?"
"Easy, follow me."
Signaling to her with her hand, Karma led her around the wall covering the distance of a long trek, as they went to one of the sides of the wall. Further down there was a hole that seemed too unnatural to have been made over time.
"Did you-"
"Yes, I melted it, come on now. The hole should be big enough for you if it's big enough for me."
"I'm not that small..."
Grumbling under her breath, Lulu got on all fours and crawled through the hole. Getting through it she saw a multitude of various types of vehicles and machines trashed and torn apart, parts lying over the place and there were even some that were unexpectedly in a good or decent state.
What surprised her the most was the warm air smacking against her face. When she had heard that it was a junkyard she assumed that it would be a mess inside, instead, while things were quite literally junk there seemed to be some sense of order in the place.
Not to mention that the place wasn't covered in the tiniest flake of snow; probably from the same source of the warm temperature, a large orb levitating in the center of the junkyard.
"Lulu, come on, this way."
Snapping Lulu out of her thoughts, Karma led her to a large warehouse at the corner of the junkyard. Pushing open the large and heavy doors she revealed an almost empty interior save for the large object in the center covered by a tarp.
Flipping a few switches on the wall, a loud noise resounded out as several groups of lights turned on, lighting up the warehouse.
Observing the warehouse, Karma was quite amazed at seeing how she had pretty much made this entire warehouse into her personal space. There were sofas placed here and there, tables, large posters, and a large workbench.
While there was still junk everywhere and machines off on the side, they all seemed to be tinkered with and usable to some extent, but towards the center, they were all pushed quite a bit away for the tarp-covered object.
"W-what is all this."
"It's my very own personal warehouse, what do ya think?"
With a small laugh, Karma walked over to the large workbench and grabbed some overlaying clothing and a toolbox as she headed to the tarp-covered object.
"I-It's freaking awesome!"
Hearing Lulu's rare enthusiasm, Karma couldn't help but have a smile on her lips. It was a nice tone to hear from the adorable girl.
"You're so adorable, Lulu."
"Wha- ugh."
Standing in front of the towering tarp-covered object she set down the toolbox before letting out a huff and gazing up at it.
"So... what is it?"
Lulu raised the question that's been on her mind since entering the warehouse, bringing a smirk out on Karma's face as she easily pulled off the large tarp - revealing the beautiful hunk of metal under it.
"Well, it's a ship duh."
Another little side thing, part 1.
Do You guys like the shorter chapters more or my usually long ones?
Maybe you could leave a comment?
Your thoughts are always greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
If you want to talk to me, join my discord.
https://discord.gg/2WQKxCgQFa