'Tick, Tick...'

Cause I'mma slow it up, speed it up, slow it up, speed it up♪

Metal Fingers feed beats, Grimm Reaper eat it up♪

Speed it up slow it up, speed it up, speed it up, slow it up♪

Brainsick, tick, tick, tick, MF blow it up♪

….

A metallic sound booms from behind a door I stand, the sound like pieces of iron being smashed together coupled with the wailing of sirens creating an all-round eerie instrumental with the addition of the villainous sounding vocals…

A sign on the door from which the music plays, reads:

Saito's Domain

(This must be his room)

Without Knocking I turn the knob of the unlocked door barging into the room,

"Hey! What the hell?" Saito looking up from a desk, various types of magic gems lay scattered around on it,

"Have you ever heard of knocking!?"

On top of his bed is a cube-shaped magic diamond, its edges are rough and jagged, as magical lights emanate from within their cracks,

From the lights, the curious music plays,

"Kage??

What do you want, you already won against me,

I don't like people in my room, more so ones I barley know"

"How do you do that?" I ignore him, pointing at the diamond,

"I channel some magic into the diamond and the music plays itself, duh,

If that's all you wanted to know you can go now," His body fully blocking the desk behind him,

"What are you doing?' I try peeking over his shoulder,"

"Why are you so nosy?

Its uncomfortable,"

"Well, since you were spying on us, I figured I would return the favor"

…

"Well, if you must know,

I am trying to figure out how to get old artifacts to work, using magic crystals," he concedes, moving aside, showing me what looks like spectacles?

Wires spill out of the temple tips, instead of the ends being cured to go over ears like they normally would, they form something resembling earpieces,

Its entire frame bulky, the color in black camo,

These were no ordinary glasses.

Though worn I could still make out the word engraved into its sides:

U.C Government

(Words I haven't seen since the desert)

"Where did you find that?"

"Why?" Saito pulls back the artifact, suspiciously

"Do you know something about it?"

"Not necessarily," I lie,

"I just thought it looked interesting,"

"Well, if you must know, more of the stranger artifacts similar to this, we have, comes from the Northern Icelands,

I am sure you have seen the mountains to the north before?"

"How do you get there?"

"No one is allowed, well unless you have permission,

The only way to get there is thorough my homeland, far east of here,"

"You're not from this city?"

"Obviously not, half the people you see on the streets aren't originally from here either,

That's because this is the only city open to any and every one, if you are smart enough that is,

There is no requirement to work or to serve, once you join a faction," Saito now gone off on a tangent,

"Look at me for instance, even though I'm a member of the adventurer's guild, I haven't gone on a single job, ever,

As long as the whole faction prospers, everyone eats, regardless,

Who wouldn't like it here?"

"So, from where you are from," I begin to get curious of Saito origins,

"Is it a bad place, that made you move here?"

"Nah, Bakufu, is a nation that rewards warriors, or the strong,

Since I clearly wasn't, umm suited for that type of culture, I came here,

Giichi is relatively famous back home though,

He was a really strong warrior, but even he left,"

"Giichi sir is also from Bakufu nation, you called it?"

Saito nods putting his head back down his work, clearly bored of the conversation,

"Anything else you have to pester me about?"

"Not right now, I think you've told me enough, I'll forgive you for earlier"

"Forgive me?" Saito scoffs

"If that's all you can leave now, I am busy…."

....

(Isn't that?)

I notice a familiar shadow slipping out of the room as I turn to leave,

....

"Interesting conversation you two had," Pinoki comments joining me outside the room,

"What did you steal, Pinoki, I saw that,

Did you not say only a while ago that you no longer steal?"

"I saw he had multiple of those sound-diamonds, so I took one," Pinoki reasons

"….."

"It's not like he will notice,"

"…..

I don't know why you couldn't have talked to him yourself,"

"Because that wouldn't be any fun Kage,

I like being the secret spy who directs my unsuspecting pawn into a potentially heated situation, while I gather intel from the shadows,"

"You're saying I'm your pawn?"

"If you put that way it sounds bad, you are more like the trusty but sometimes dispensable ally,"

"That sounds even worse."

"I didn't hear you ask him about the door in the artifact room," Pinoki changing the subject

"The flame could be there waiting,"

"Giichi sir will show us when he's ready,

I'm not in any rush,

What is there to even rush for?"

"I guess you're right," Pinoki sighs,

"Well, I'll be off to my room now, hopefully Amber isn't there waiting with a knife or anything,

We'll discuss this more tomorrow, Kage..."

****

"Hurry up!

Tick, Tick…

When are we going to make our move?

We have been waiting years on us,

We are getting tired

If we make us wait any longer, we will have to

Kill them all-"

!!

…..

"Huh!"

A warm beam of sunlight seeps through the spaces between the curtains, into my room,

(Wonderful dream, that was, as usual)

Looking around the room I have been using for a few days, I make sure nothing has been moved,

Everything still exactly as I met it,

(Good)

...

(Huh?)

As I'm about to leave I notice that there are two cracks at the left side of the door and three on right…

Smash!

I hammer the prototype into the left wall, creating a third crack,

(Got to keep everything balanced.)

...

"What kind of tea is this, again?" I take a long sip,

"Fairy leaves it's called," Apollo answers,

We all sit around a large table in the mess hall for breakfast.

"What is your problem, Karina?"

(Is it just me or do things feel normal for the first time)

"Why do you ask Lyra?"

(Ahh, this tea is good, I don't recall drinking tea before, or maybe I have?)

"Because aren't usually moody."

(The soft feel of tea, its undiscernible sweet taste…)

"Kage wouldn't sleep with me last night."

"Pfffssscchh!"

The tea flies out my mouth,

"What are we talking about?"

"Interesting~" Apollo twirls a spoon in his tea, giving me a look in which I feel like poking his eyes out for,

"Why didn't you do it Kage?" Lyra presses teasingly,

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Kage! I swear," Pinoki fuming

"If you had only spit just a few more inches to land on me, I would have taken you on a trip to Pinoki Pummel Town!

Ugh you ruined my breakfast"

"'Pinoki Pummel Town'" Lyra quotes laughing,

"That may be the least intimating threat I have ever heard,"

"You think I am joking,

I swear to Murdoc I would have,"

...

We all give him plain stare,

"Whatt~ too early for the Murdoc being god jokes?"

…..

"Hey, Amelia," I say noticing the girl at our table silent yet entertained by us,

"Where is Claude? You two are usually always together,"

"He went to get something, he'll be back any minute now," she replies meekly

"Why are so quiet" Lyra boldly interrogates,

"…."

"Leave her alone Lyra, if the girl wants to be quiet let her be," Karina instructs,

"No, it's alright, I am not actually quiet," Amelia speaks,

"I just don't have much say most of the time, I'd rather observe than talk,"

"Kind of like Kage but less of a weirdo than he is," Lyra comments

(She's obviously baiting me, not falling for that this time )

….

"My, my, Amelia is actually talking to people?" Claude now arriving sits down next to his sister beaming,

"What's with the smile" Apollo notices,

"It happens to be a good morning , my fellow guild mate," he smiles,

"You see I have come today, with your first job,"