Whoosh!! Creak!!

Whoosh!! Creak!!

Whoosh!! Creak!!

The storm rocks the ship as the Susanoo Familia heads to the mainland.

"Hic! Hic!" Ai was crying in the corner. "I wanna go home. I miss my mom and dad." She was regretting her choice.

"Ai," Susanoo said next to her. "I know you are feeling… homesick, but you have to stay strong. This is hard on all of us." He strokes her hair to try and comfort her.

"W-will I see mom and dad again?" She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes and stained cheeks. "Will we be back for the Solar Festival?"

"I…" pain filled his voice. "I am sorry, but I don’t think we will make it back for it… or the next one."

"Hic! Hic! Hic!!"

Susanoo held her close as she cried out her sadness.

 

Side of the road on their way to Orario.

Swish!

Swish!

"Huff! Huff! Huff! Clack!" Ai was exhausted, her body was covered in bruises and dirt.

"Pick up your sword, Shirakusa," Kushida said.

"I-I’m tired!"

"We are going to Orario, the Labyrinth City that houses the Dungeon. There is no tiredness when monsters are around you. Until you have proven to me you are a samurai. I will only call you Shirakusa. "

"B-but—"

"No buts. If you can’t swing a wooden sword with a Falna, then I will have to train your body. Girls! Shirakusa will carry our bags!"

"What!?"

"You heard me. You need to build your strength and stamina. "

 

Orario.

"Hmm… hmm…" Ai looks around, lost.

‘Why did I think I wouldn’t get lost?! This city is too big! What if some guy tries and—‘

"Hey, are you lost?"

"H-huh!? w-who are you!?" she said, nervous and scared.

‘Is he a guy who is going to sell me down the river!!’

Ai looks at the boy with long bangs. She could make up the color of his eyes but just barely.

'Green eyes...'

"My name is Cirrus. What is yours?"

‘M-maybe I can trust him???’

"M-my name is Shirakusa Ai!" she stated, looking past his bangs and into his green eyes.

She could feel a sense of level-headedness about Cirrus.

"Well Ai, if you are lost, I can help you."

His eyes told her he wanted to help her; they were the same eyes that Susanoo had on the ship.

"R-really!"

 

Coming up from the Dungeon’s 13th floor.

"So, how do you fight?" Ai asked Cirrus. "You have a sword and a shield, so how do you fight?"

"Hm? You wanna see me fight? "

"Yeah! Everyone but you fought. " She said glancing at him.

"Shirakusa, do not ask him to fight monsters from the 12th floor! I’m sorry if—"

"No, it’s fine," Cirrus said, walking up front. He draws his blade and gets his shield up. "I can fight."

Appearing from the fog were two orcs.

"Cirrus let me—"

"Tap!! Tap!! Tap!!" Cirrus kicked off before Eupheme could speak.

Ai watched as Cirrus flung himself into battle.

"Waah!" she said, memorized by how he fought.

It held a pragmatic and efficient way of combat; his small body lends itself greatly to him as he strikes their weak points until he can lay the finishing blow.

Jump!!

Cirrus jumped as high as he could in the air to get the force he needed as he plunged his sword into one of the orc's chests, destroying their magic stone.

"Fuu~ there, how about that!" he said, smiling ear to ear, that it was like moonlight.

Thump-Thump!!

"Oooh!! Amazing!!" she said, amazed.

 

Blink! Blink!

Ai looks up at the cloudy sky when someone looks down at her.

"So how’s the view?" Cirrus said with a smile, looking down at Ai.

She could see his face for the first time behind his bangs. His emerald eyes and beautiful face easily ensnared her, especially his smile.

Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!!

But she was in training, so she didn’t think long about those feelings she had never experienced before.

"Mmmmm!!!! Again!!"

"Sure thing!"

 

Crash!!

"—ck." Cirrus said

Ai slowly approached him.

"I…. should have… gone a bit… seriously…" he said weakly.

Ai stood over him to see his blood-covered face. His eyes were unfocused.

"A… i?" he said weakly before he closed his eyes.

"!!" Ai’s heart sank at seeing him in this state. "Cirrus! Are you okay!?"

 

Thud!

"Sorry, but that’s enough," Cirrus said with his hand blocking her fist.

Thump-thump!! Thump-thump!! Thump-thump!!

 

Early morning in Orario.

"Ai, is something wrong?" he said with a concerned look on his face.

"N-no, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to give you these!" She hands him the charms.

Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!!

      

Telskyura's northern mountains

‘I did it!!’ Ai thought with a bright red face.

She took a glance to find Cirrus flushed red and his eyes widening, touching his lips in a bit of a daze.

‘It really worked!!’

Thump-thump!! Thump-thump!! Thump-thump!! Thump-thump!! Thump-Thump!!

 

Goddess Festival

They had their arms linked hand in hand.

"What’s your favorite color?" asked Cirrus.

"Mmm... purple and green. Yours? '

"Blue and black. Birthday?"

"October 5th. Yours?"

"May 15th. Food?"

Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!! Thump-Thump!!

 

"Hm♪ Hm♪ Hm♪" Ai was getting her stuff to go down the Dungeon with Cirrus.

Your chance… Get…. pill…. red… light… district…

"Hm?" Ai looks around. "Did I hear something? Pill? Red-light district? Mmm…!" She checked how much money she has and wrapped up her face. "C-can’t be too safe!"

 

50th floor, Ai was in the tent.

… Chance… take him in… show your love… let it explode… take his heart...

Ai opens her eyes from the thoughts racing across her mind.

"…" her face was red from having such thoughts. She slowly opened the tent to see Cirrus sleeping. She could vaguely remember the thoughts she had. ‘I-I’m just bringing him in from the cold! Yeah! Just that! But… what if?’

She went over to her bag and took out a small bottle with some pills.

"... Aisha said it helped with Amazonesses."

 

A while later.

"I love you," Cirrus said as warmly as he could as he slowly fell asleep, holding her dearly.

Ai slowly opens her eyes, still drunk on the whole experience and from her dream.

She smiles, remembering exactly when this feeling started, a meeting with a childhood friend and a smile from a childhood crush.

She snuggles in closer, burying her face in his chest with his arm under her. Her tail was wagging briskly, it slows down as she slowly lulls to sleep.