Home - 3

For a moment I just waited, letting the silence weigh over me. And almost as if to answer my call, a voice, not of my imagination rang. 

"Inari…" But then, I lost my guts, I turned the phone in my hand, the noise it was making even as far as it was from my ear. I could still hear it. 

Emilia's voice, and the pleas of her to answer once more. But my gut had been lost, a click echoed.

Greater than the weight of my chest, and had me walking forward, wandering the streets of the town.

Between the all watching eye of the posters, the bumbling of those that had thought their purpose fulfilled.

Between laughter of child and parent. Of their happy relationship.

And between that all, there I was, sat in the bench of a park, watching as the sun shone its rays over my head.

As the rays turned darker, weaker, replaced by the silver of the moon. Shining the dark of the night over my head.

My head slung over my backpack, holding all of my belongings, everything and nothing.

Maybe, if I had tried, then I would have been able to find a house, a warm bed. Or if I had not been such a coward then maybe Emilia would have been kind enough.

Yet those were if's, a misconstrued simulation that I couldn't dwell on. Not now, and not ever.

My hand reached to the sky, grasping at something. Yet even as I did, the nothing that I grasped through, fell between the gaps of my fingers, sending darkness into my face.

I chuckled, at the misery I had caused myself.

But as my eyes closed, taking with it the last vestiges of consciousness, I found white hair frayed over my eyes.

A breath, held with a hint of heat, of some indistinct flavor.

"Inari…" She spoke, a profound sadness held between that breath of hers.

"Emilia…" I responded, letting her place my small body over her own, hugging me tight to her.

"You made me worry, why… Why did you have to do that? I would have been glad to house you."

"I didn't want to worry you, we've only…" I paused thinking back to our interactions. Of the constant competition for the top spot, of the spark in her eyes that she looked at me with.

And there was only one reason.

"You- no, still I can't bother you with me. I am… ultimately fated to be untalented, to be at the bottom of the world. I can't… not in good conscience let you sully your name for someone such as me."

Emilia never lost that smile of hers, looking down upon my small form as if I had done something inconceivable stupid.

"Come, this is not a request… you will follow."

She stood up, placing me beside her, and with a second look, took my hand in hers. A blush upon her face. As if she had never imagined such a situation, yet had, all at the same time.

I followed, still worried for her, but I had no choice in this, ultimately it was her choice to help me. And no matter my desire to be left alone, to leave her fate unsullied.

There was another part of me, one that had felt loneliness for so long, and suddenly, bombarded by this… this affection. It was uncanny.

And so I had no choice but to follow. That smug smile of hers, all as she led me to somewhere, where? I could guess, a house, a home, a place I could rest.

But what it would truly be. A mere bed, a house to return to, or a true home, filled with love and warmth. Could it be, I truly did not know.

…

…

…

"Here… take this" She drawled, throwing at me a wooden sword. Made of some exotic wood and reinforced to take the abuse that a hunter would place upon it.

I felt it in my grip and swung it around. Letting it swish about the air with grace.

When I had sufficiently tested it, the weight, the balance, and most importantly the reach. I turned to Emilia and to the arena we stood in.

All in her house, personally owned by Emilia, how rich was she to afford this. I could not fathom it.

She too poised herself against me, her hand behind her back, her eyes focused solely upon my body. That smug smile across her lips as she strode forwards.

All with the same lackadaisical care that one would give to a casual walk. 

I focused, my eyes scanning every part of her, the way she held her rapier, her feet tapping upon the ground. The slight shift of her muscles.

Everything.

All to predict her move. I was, and most likely would never be as strong as her. Not now at least. But what I could do was close the gap between us.

Not in the literal way, but with skill and patience. There was no doubt that she was skilled, as she thrust out her rapier.

I turned my body away, sending a counter as fast as I could. But it was useless, she dodged with the same grace she walked.

An effortless counter.

I felt the tip placed over my throat.

"Dead… again."

And once again, I felt like a child, holding a sword for the first time. Overwhelmed by the skill and power of my instructor.

Except this time it was not an instructor but a peer. So far ahead that even with my years of practice, I could do nothing but watch as she dismantled my very effort.

Yet was it so bad, the way she smiled, as she taught me technique and reaction. As she gave me a bed after. A care greater than I had ever felt.

And as my head fell upon the pillow, watching the fan whirl around the ceiling. The room she had given me, filled with basic amenities.

I could not help the thankful smile on my face, all as Emilia popped in the recesses of my mind. That signature smile of hers, as she told me not to worry about it.

As she helped me, out of the kindness of her heart. Not an ulterior motive to be found. Pure kindness.

Pure kindness was it, I smiled once again at the ceiling, it truly was like her wasn't it?