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Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Giddy ]


Night fell over the forest as they made their way through the main road. Felix walking ahead of the two as he lead the way, holding up an oil lantern for light. He felt an odd tension behind him, one he assumed emanating entirely from Manami. The man felt less like he was adventuring into the springs, and more like a chaperon for the girls.

Manami kept giving Nora awkward glances, mostly keeping her eyes on the dirt road beneath them. "Um." She finally let out, face burning red as she looked at Nora. "W..want to um." Pausing as she felt a chill run through her body in fear of her answer. "Do you, um, w-want to hold hands?" Asked the girl nervously, feeling like she was moving too fast. Even though a few hours ago she was getting her to strip in front of her. Nudity was fun and casual in her mind, touching someone though...

Felix couldn't help but to feel a smile creep through him, both happy for Manami and feeling worried. He listened carefully to what Nora would say, in fear that she would be rejected. Manami had no experience even with that, he had no idea how she would react to rejection.

Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Giddy ]


Manami smiled broadly hearing her response, letting out an almost inaudible 'kay'. Being a lot shorter than Nora, she had to hold her hand a bit up to grab hers. Her fingers interlacing with the other girl's, face burning brighter every second. While she held onto it, her palms were becoming very sweaty from how nervous she felt, occasionally letting go of Nora with an apology to dry her hands on her own clothes, before taking her hand again. She couldn't recall the last time she felt this happy before.

Felix couldn't ruin their moment, so he kept his wits sharp. He stopped after walking a bit, hearing a rustling sound in the woods. "Owl." Stated the man simply, before turning off the road and leading them into thicket of the woods. He had visited the springs once more, to collect spring water for a potion, and knew his way around the woods very well.

"I-I'm glad you came out with us." Manami said timidly. "I was really worried you were going to say no..."

Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Giddy ]


"Y-yup." Manami said nervously. "It wasn't fully grown but it was really big. I kicked it in the head and it's head caved in. " She said with an awkward laugh, hoping to not scare Nora. "Then we fed it's corpse to Chloe." Continued the girl, unsure if Nora even remembered Chloe since the monster kept to herself.

Felix wanted to say something, but didn't want to ruin their moment. Manami was revealing too much information about Chloe already, last thing he wanted was for the townsfolk to know that they were harboring a dangerous monster. He came to a sudden stop, spotting a glowing red flower, which he eagerly picked and placed into his bag before continuing to lead the way.

Manami hoped something appeared at night and attacked them, wolves, a troll, a band of bandits, anything she could overwhelm to impress Nora. But the forest was so peaceful tonight! With the full moon they hardly needed the lantern to see.

Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Giddy ]


Manami didn't understand why Nora had disbelief in her ability to cave a dragon's skull in. "Well it didn't die right away if that's what you're asking." She said with a goofy smile. "It took a couple of hits. it's not like kicking a person, their heads pop."

Felix couldn't help but to cover his eyes with his hand as he heard her. 'Don't say that Manami' he thought angrily, wanting to turn around and tell her to not scare Nora. Podunk people like her lived sheltered in fear in their homes, not fighting dragons specifically to feed them to Chloe. He started walking a bit ahead of them, knowing they almost forgot about him, in hopes that he wouldn't inadvertently step in.

"Yep fed it whole." She said with a big toothy grin. Feeling like she wanted to tell Nora everything, she continued, "She's actually a man-eating monster, and we wanted it to be able to turn into a dragon, so..."

Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Confused ]


Manami looked confused at Nora for a second. "We domesticated it." She said with a slight smile. "It's not like she's going to eat your dad, she's a good girl. If anything, she's a really good girl, she's been hunting mice for you guys and she killed those birds your dad hates." Chloe had taken the form of a cat almost the entire time she's been living with them, and spent the days in-between rooms, watching Nora and her dad with her creepy little cat eyes. "She's saved me a lot too, sometimes when we've taken a job to kill rogues and stuff, she gobbles them up if they ever have me outnumbered so I can kick---"

"I-I'm sorry." She did manage to let out, her eyes slightly watering. "That's weird isn't it? I'm being weird aren't I?"

Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Confused ]



Her eyes stared at the girl, not looking where she was going, wondering why she seemed so bothered over killing people. "It's not like you get much of a choice out there Nora. There's rogues who want to kill you, slavers you want to take you, monsters who want to eat you, not to mention soldiers who just hate you." Said Manami almost too calmly, desensitized with the state of the world. Manami now looked at the dirt road, her eyes watering. Although she didn't know why.

"It's not different than what you're used to Nora. Its weird." She said sadly. "I'm not like normal people, we're adventurers, we live on the road. We travel and save people, and sometimes we steal, but..." A tear began streaming down her cheek as she spoke. "It's not normal."

Felix [ Outfit // Mood: Uncomfortable ]
Manami [ Outfit // Mood: Confused ]


Manami was perplexed by Nora's question. Having never thought of that before, she always just accepted it as her life. "It's not like I don't like my life. It's exciting, and I get to see new places, and meet new people..." Said Manami, the cities they've visited, the things she's done, she couldn't imagine a life without those experiences. "It's just.. sometimes..." She drifted off again. "I wish I was like you Nora. Sometimes, I kind of wish I did have a normal life, in a small town like this and.. did normal things... Like go to school! Or have a house! And make friends I won't have to say good-bye to..."

Eventually her master would say its time to go, and she would have to say good-bye to Nora. Chances were they would never come back here again. "I won't stay here forever you know... we never stay anywhere for more than a season."


Felix was very far from them, but he was cursed with good hearing. Feeling a sudden guilt gnawing at him with every one of Manami's words. He robbed her of a normal life, instead he had her live his life. Forcing her into growing up in a harsh reality.