Independent Merchant Republic, Fuhren

The party is sitting across from a man named Ilwa Chang. The Grimms are in disguise. 

"I'm Ilwer Chang, head of the Fuhren Adventurer's Guild." He greets. 

Neo has her arms wrapped around Ruby's pale arm. While Blake just calmly sips on some tea.

"Uh-huh." Hajime stares at the man.

"Hajime-kun, Ruby-kun, Yue-kun, Shea-kun, Blake-kun, Neo-kun, I've been looking for you." Ilwer says. "There are rumors going around the town of Brooke, rumors of a group of six talented people who easily made their way through Reisen Gorge."

"You've got the wrong group." 

'Shouldn't have helped those Merchants.' Ruby complains in thought.

"I believe your skills would make you well-suited for a request I'd like you to undertake." Ilwa says.

"We're not doing it." Ruby speaks up and she stands up. Along with the rest of the party.

"Mind if I just tell you what it is?" Ilwer asks. "Then I won't have to deal with the paperwork."

Hajime and Ruby look to each other, then they look back to the guild head.

"Can't say I expected less from the head of an adventurer's guild." Hajime says with a smile. "You've got the right personality."

...

...

Hajime and Ruby are driving their motorcycles, side by side. Noe sits in front of Ruby, since she's the shortest, and Blake sits behind Ruby. They're back in their Grimm forms.

Yue glances back at the sleeping rabbit on Hajime's back. "I thought she was strangely quiet, but she's just sleeping."

"I felt like there was something missing." Blake mutters and Neo nods.

"We won't be stopping at all, so let her rest while she can." Hajime says.

Ruby thinks back to what the Ilwa told them.

Flashback.

"You want us to find a missing person?" Hajime asks Ilwa, who's looking out a window behind his desk.

"That's right, specifically, a party of adventurers headed to the northern mountains on a survey." Ilwa informs. "Among them is the third son of Count Cudeta, Will Cudeta." He glances back. "I want you to rescue him."

"A Count?" Ruby questions. "Must've been a pretty big party then, huh?"

It was just three people.

"They're quite skilled, yes." Ilwa says. "Which means if there was something they couldn't handle... then lots of people will get hurt. We don't know how powerful this enemy is, after all. That's where your notorious group comes in. The Count's a friend of mine."

"A friend, huh?" Hajime questions.

Ilwa turns around and looks at Hajime and Ruby. "Could you take on this request?"

"Not a chance. We've got our own goals to accomplish."

Ruby holds her hand out to Hajime. "Now hold on, if we do this we'll be rewarded graciously." She turns to Ilwa. "Right?"

"Yes, I'll make sure that you're rewarded." Ilwa says. 

"Oh, could you also give a little more than that?" Ruby smiles.

Ilwa smiles. "I'll agree to fully back you if you ever get into trouble with the guild."

Ruby glances to Hajime. "How 'bout now?" She smirks.

Hajime huffs. "If you're going to go that far for our help, then I guess I have to consider." He holds up two fingers. "But I have two conditions."

"And they are?" Ilwa asks.

"First, I want you to make us status plates." Hajime lowers his hand.

"And the second?"

"If we ever need of you, you'll do everything we say."

"Very well. It's a deal, then."

"Alright."

Ruby smiles to herself.

Present

"You're so sly, Mistress." Blake states and Ruby giggles.

"So assertive, Hajime." Yue mutters.

"They want this Will guy back alive, right?" Hajime starts. "The more indebted they feel ti us, the more effective Ilwer's backing's gonna be."

"Mm. But there's Something else."

"You figured it out? Right now we're headed to Ur. We'll spend a night here then head up towards the mountains, but on our way we'll apparently pass through the continent's largest rice farming area."

"Farming area?" Yue questions.

"Rice, man, rice!" Hajime smiles. "It's a staple of my homeland's diet!"

Ruby drools a little. "I haven't had rice in so long!"

"Reuben, you're gonna have to make some of your Miso soup" Hajime Smiles.

Ruby's stomach growls. "Oh, man, you're making me hungry!"

"Miso soup?" Blake questions and Neo glances at her leader.

"It's a very good dish, and I mean a mean one."

"Well, then, I want to eat some, too." Yue says with a smile.

"I'll definitely make some for you!" 

.

.

.

The sun is starting in the Lake Town of Ur. Teacher Aiko Hatayama is at an Inn with a few of her students. They have a Templar knight with them by the name, David Zahler.

"Good work today, everyone!" Aiko says. "Fill your bellies and get ready to work hard again tomorrow!"

"Right!" Yuka, Nana, Taeko and Atsuhi all say.

"Let's dig in!" Aiko says and she sighs.

"Ai-cah-sensei?" Yuka calls out. "You thinking about Shimizu again?"

Aiko turns to the girl next to her. "Where could he have gone? It's been a whole week." She glances back to the rest of her students. "Nothing like this has happened with him before... I should've kept a closer eye on him."

"I'm sure he's fine."

Taeko smiles and winks. "He'll be back before we know it."

"You're right." Aiko says. "Worrying about him won't solve anything!"

The Inn owner walks over to the table. "How was your dinner tonight, friends?"

Aiko smiles. "It was delicious, as always!"

"I'm glad to hear that..." The Inn owner looks down.

"Mr. Owner?"

"Unfortunately, and I hate to disappoint you, but tonight we used the last of our spices."

"Huh?" Yuka questions. "Does that mean we won't be able to eat this food anymore?"

"Sounds like there's some trouble up in the mountains, and the traders can't get to the spices." The Owner informs.

"Trouble?" Aiko asks.

"Rumors say a gang of monsters has suddenly appeared. And just the other day, a group of high-ranking adventurers ventured out there and didn't come back."

"That's concerning..."

"Thankfully, we've got guests in today who say they were sent here by the guild leader in Fuhren to search for that missing party."

"Hmm. They must be pretty tough, then." David smugly smiles.

The door to the Inn opens.

"How many times do I have to ask you?" Shea's voice rings out.

"My, speak of the demons..." The Inn owner looks towards the door.

The party walks past the group on the other side of a wall. The Grimms are in disguise again.

"Will you stop excluding me to retreat into your own little world?" Shea complains. "Do you hear me? Hajime-san?"

"I hear you, I hear you." Hajime says. "I just don't wanna see you, so I figured separate rooms would be good."

"Seehs! Did you hear that, Yue-san? Hajime-san's being so cruel to me!"

"When is he not." Ruby says. "Hajime's a total dick."

"Shut-up, Reuben." Hajime orders.

"See, what did I tell you!"

"Ruby, I think you're making it worse." Yue states.

The party sits at a table. Hajime and Ruby on one side and the others sit across from them. In the order of Neo, Blake, Shea and Yue.

Ruby leans Crescent Rose, in storage mode,  against the table.

"Wh-What did they just say?" Aiko asks.

Yuka asks.

"And don't two of their voices sound familiar? Like that one guy and Xiao Long, except this one is slightly more feminine." Taeko states.

Aiko stands up. "Nagumo-kun? Xiao Long-kun?" She runs over to the party's table. "Bagumi-kun? Xiao Long-kun?"

Ruby and Hajime look at Aiko in surprise. "Sensei?" They question.

Aiko smiles. "Nagumo-kun? Xiao Long-kun?" She leans closer to them. "It really is the both of you, isn't it?" She starts to cry. "I'm so glad you're both alive..."

Hajime stands up. "Nope, you've got the wrong people."

"Huh?"

Hajime starts to walk away. "Bye." he turns to Ruby. "Let's go."

"But I haven't eaten yet." Ruby pouts.

Aiko grabs Hajime's metal arm and pulls him back. "Please, wait! You are Nagumo-kun and Xiao Long-Kun, aren't you? You both called me 'Sensei,' after all!"

Hajime sweats a little. "No, you heard me wrong. It's uh..." He gains an idea. "A regional dialect! It means 'tiny'! Yeah."

Ruby face palms. "That's the best you came up with."

Hajime glares at Ruby. "I don't see you doing better!"

"Then you're being incredibly rude!" Aiko states. "And there's no dialect like that! You're just trying to trick me! What happened to you two? Why do you look like this, Nagumo-kun? And why do you look so much different, Xiao Long-kun? Why haven't either of you come back to everyone?"

"Ruby..." Yuka mutters.

"Answer me, Nagumo-kun!" Aiko shouts.

Ruby sweat drops.

"Get back. You're bothering him." Yue orders.

Aiko looks back to Yue. "And who are you? I'm trying to have an important talk with Nagumo-kun..."

"Then calm down a little."

Aiko sighs. "I lost my composure." She lets go of Hajime's arm. "Let's try this again. You're Nagumo-kun and Xiao Long-kun, right?"

Hajime sighs. "Yeah." He looks at his teacher with a forced smile. "Long time no see, Sensei."

Ruby gives a nervous ave. "Hello, Sensei."

Hajime sits down and Aiko sits down, looking at her two students that went missing. The others four students watch from their spot.

Ruby and Hajime look at menus.

"Hajime-san, Ruby-san, are you sure you should be ignoring her?" Shea asks.

Hajime sets his menu down. "Did you know this place has curry?"

"Really?" Ruby looks up and down her menu. "I don't see it." Hajime then points to a spot on her menu. "Oh. OH!" They also have cookies!"

"Anyway, they've got some really good, spicy food here."

"I like sweet though." Ruby then drools. "Cookies, hehehe."

"Then I want that, too." Yue says. "I want to know what you like to eat."

"Ooh, look at you, nonchalantly jumping in on that!" Shea says to Yue and her rabbit ears twitch. "Good one, Yue-san."

"I-I'll have the fish fry." Blake blushes a little as her cat ears twitch.

Neo points to the chicken soup on Ruby's menu.

"Excuse me, we'd like to order!" Shea calls out.

Aiko slams a fist into the table and stares at Hajime and Ruby. "I'm not done talking to you two. The hell do you think you're doing, ordering food like it's nothing?" She then looks to the four girls across from the two. "First off, who are these girls?"

"I'm hungry. At least let me eat." Hajime says.

"Yeah, I'm starving!" Ruby whines.

"And let them say."

"Yue." The Vampire greets.

"I'm Shea!" The Rabbit greets.

"I'm Blake." The cat greets then she motions to Neo. "She's Neo, she's mute." Neo waves.

"And I belong to Hajime." Shea and Yue says.

"And we belong to Mistress Ruby." Blake says as she puts a hand on Neo's shoulder.

Everyone yells out.

"Belong...?" Aiko is shocked.

Ruby sweats with nervousness. "Please don't word it like that."

"But it's true Mistress." Blake says and she blushes. "Especially with what you did with us back at the Inn." 

Neo nods with a smile and a blush. Ruby blushes and she covers her face with her hands.

"Hey." Hajime starts. "Yue might be right, but don't you go saying that, Shea."

"What?!" Shea yells. "You're so mean, Hajime-san! How can you say that when you stole my first kiss?"

"Whoa, how long are you going to keep saying that?" Hajime points at Shea. "You drowned, I just gave you--"

"Nagumo-kun, Xiao Long-kun." Aiko calls out.

Ruby and Hajime turn to Aiko. "Yeah, Sensei?"

"Not only did you steal a girl's first kiss, but you're two-timing her?" Aiko questions. "And you did something no students should be doing, Xiao Long-kun!"

The party tenses up and sweats a little.

"If that's true, that is completely unacceptable!" Aiko stands up and glares down at the two. "Yep, no way am I going to let that go!"

Aiko then points at her two students. "You're both getting a lecture! You'd better change your ways!"

A little while later, the parties food arrives and they start eating. Ruby shoves all the cookies she got into her mouth and then start eating her curry.

"In any case, I'm glad you both were all right." Aiko says. "But what happened after that?"

"I worked real hard." Hajime states.

"I fought real hard." Ruby says between chews.

"Why is your hair white?" Aiko asks Hajime.

"'Cause I worked real hard." Hajime states.

"Why do you like a woman?" Aiko asks Ruby.

"I fought real hard." Ruby states.

"What happened to your right eye and your left arm?" Aiko asks Hajime.

"Happened 'cause I was working real, real hard." Hajime states.

"Why didn't you two come back to us right away?"

"Didn't have a reason to." Hajime states.

"I was busy fighting." Ruby states.

Aiko stands up with tears in her eyes. "Give me actual answers!" 

The Templar Knight Dave walks over to the Party's table. He slams his hand into the table, which startles Shea a little.

"We're eating here." Ruby doesn't look up from her food.

"So mind your manners." Hajime then adds.

"Mind my manners?" David questions. "I think you should be the one minding your own manners! You need to learn how to speak properly to your superiors! And what are you doing, sharing a table with two filthy beastman?"

Ruby stops from putting more food into her mouth and she doesn't move.

David continues. "At the very least, let me cut off those horrid ears of yours." Blake glares at David as she folds her cat ears down. "Then you'll at least look human."

Shea looks away from David and Blake puts a hand on her shoulder. Neo curls her hands into firsts.

Yue looks at David and he notices. "What's that look for?" He asks. "Insolence! You're no Apostle; how dare you disobey an order from a member of the Templar knights?!"

Yue glances away from the knight. "What a small man."

David gasps. "Damned heretic!" He puts a hand on his sword and goes to take it out.

Hajime stands up and fires off a round from his revolver, shattering the knights shoulder armor and bruising the skin underneath. He's sent flying back into a wall.

David groans in pain.

"I told you to mind your manners." Hajime glares at the knight.

Ruby then resumes eating without looking at the scene.

After a few minutes go by, Aiko starts to wrapped up David's arm.

"You're not getting a warning next time." Hajime states.

Ruby then holds up Crescent Rose and puts it into Rifle mode. "Next time you'll be shot with this, and I'll tell you. It hurts." 

Ruby puts it back into Storage Mode and leans it against the table.

The party is eating desert, Neo managed to get some Neapolitan ice cream, Blake got some cake and Ruby got some cookies.

Neo has a happy look as she eats the ice cream.

The other students watch Hajime and Ruby. Yuka glances at Ruby and gets a flashback from when everyone was transported to the 65th, before Hajime and Ruby fell.

Flashback. 

Yuka's sowrd gets knocked out of her hands by a skeleton. She then falls to the ground and a few skeletons stand over her.

One skeleton raises its sword up. Petals falls round Yuka and the skeleton falls apart as Reuben stands behind it with his scythe held out to the side.

"R-Ruby?" Yuka questions.

Reuben then swiftly cuts apart the other skeletons. He then walks over to Yuka and holds his hand out. "You okay, Yuka?"

"Y-Yeah." Yuka grabs Reuben's hand and he pulls her off the ground. 

Reuben looks over towards his sister. "Stay safe." He uses Petal Burst  to fly over.

Present

Yuka keeps staring at Ruby's back.

"Yuukacchi, you okay?" Nana calls out.

Yuka turns to her and smiles nervously. "Y-Yeah. I'm still just surprised."

"Right? I still can't believe it. I mean, look at them. They're like a whole 'nother person."

Atsushi then speaks. "Yeah. They've gotten so... wild?"

"And popular, too." Taeko says. "And what's with Reuben's new look, has he become a girl or something, or has he just lost it?"

Hajime sets his spoon down and leans back in his chair. "That was damn good."

Ruby wipes some crumbs off her mouth. "I haven't had cookies in so long." She starts to cry. "It was so good."

Hajime then leans forward and speaks to Aiko. "We've got no interest in you guys, nor do I want you to get involved with us at all. I don't plan on telling you everything that's happened or that's going to happen to me or Reuben. Go and do whatever you want, I don't care, just don't get in my way. Because if you piss me off, like what happened just now, I won't hesitate to kill you. You'll be glad I'd kill you too, cause Reuben will do much worse than what I would."

Ruby smiles sadistically. "I'd have fun before I'd kill ya. Hehe."

Hajime looks at Shea, and she's still sad about what David said. "Hey, Shea. You still worrying about what he said?"

"N-No..." Shea says.

"This is normal out here. There's no point in worrying about it."

"You're right. I know that, but..." Shea rubs one of her ears. "I didn't know that humans thought my ears were disgusting..."

"Your ears are fluffy and cute, Shea." Yue says.

"Yeah." Blake nods in agreement. 

Shea looks between the two with a smile. "You think so?" She turns to Hajime. "Uh, what do you think of my ears, Hajime-san? Well?"

Hajime glances away. "They're whatever."

Shea sighs and leans down to the table.

"He likes them a lot." Yue informs. "He was petting them softly when you were asleep."

Shea sits up with a smile.

"You promised you wouldn't tell her!" Hajime says, and he hears Ruby trying to keep her snickering hidden. "Shut up!" He yells at the Grimm.

Ruby then starts to laugh.

"Hajime-san!" Shea leans towards him. "You like my bunny ears?!"

"You've got it all wrong. I was not petting them!"

"You can pet them whenever you want!"

"Mistress likes to pet my ears too." Blake says, with Neo nodding,  and Ruby stops laughing.

"Why did you do this to me?" Ruby whines in embarrassment.

Hajime laughs at Ruby.

Taeko stares at the two. "Till now I was terrified of them, but now I just wanna murder them." He brow twitches.

The party then gets up and heads out. Ruby puts Crescent Rose on her the back of her waist. 

"Later, Sensei." Ruby calls out.

Aiko takes a few running steps towards them. "Xiao Long-kun, Hajime-kun, wait!"

But they don't listen and they leave the Inn.

"I'm not giving up on you!" Aiko yells at them as they leave. "Mm-hmm, there's no way I'm giving up on either of you! I'm bringing you both back home with everyone else!"

"Ruby..." Yuka whispers. "I never got to thank him."

Later that night, Ruby enters her room, after having a talk with Hajime. He went off to talk with Aiko.

Ruby closes the door behind her and looks to the bed, and she sees both Neo and Blake sleeping, with no clothes on. Ruby smile to herself as she takes off her clothes and gets into bed with them, covering herself and them up with a blanket.

Neo and Blake then hug Ruby as they sleep and they smile. "This is filth, but I can't help it." She whispers as she wraps her arms around her girls and closes her eyes.

"I love my girls." Ruby whispers as she falls asleep.

.

.

.

It's morning and there's a heavy fog around as the party heads up the hill. The Grimms are still in disguise. 

Hajime stops as he notices something ahead, everyone else stops as well. The fog clears a little to reveal Aiko and the four other students.

Hajime sighs. "I've got an idea of what you wanna ask, but go on, let's hear it."

"We're coming with you!" Aiko states. "If you're going to look for someone, it's better to have more people helping, right?"

"Absolutely not. If you wanna go, then go on your own. If you come with us, you'd just make us walk at a snail's pace."

"Please, you're not telling us that you can run faster than our horses, are you?" Yuka asks.

Hajime sighs and he holds up his creation ring and summons his and Ruby's bike. The four students and the Teacher gasps.

"Get it now?" Hajime asks.

Hajime and Ruby get onto their bikes. "Well, we're off." She says.

"Get out of our way."

"P-Please wait!" Aiko runs over and stands between the two bikes and whispers to the two. "I have to hear more about what happened from you two!"

"Huh?" Hajime questions.

"Could we talk while you travel, or while we're searching? If we can, then I'll keep my word and we'll part ways here."

Hajime and Ruby glance at each other, Ruby just shrugs her shoulders. Hajime then sighs. "Fine. But there's really not much to talk about."

"I don't care." Aiko states. "I just want to hear it in your own words, Nagumo-kun. Xiao Long-kun."

"You sure are stubborn, Sensei." Ruby says. "At least you'll never change, no matter what happens."

Aiko nods with a smile. "Of course not!"

Yue walks over. "Hajime, we bringing them with us?"

"Yeah, she's gotta play teacher, no matter what." Hajime responds. "She won't compromise when it comes to her students. And leaving her behind is gonna cause way more trouble for me when we get back."

"She sure cares a lot about her students, huh!" Shea says.

"She's such a nice person." Blake adds.

Yuka then speaks up. "But you can only fit three people on those motorcycles, can't you?" Hajime and Ruby get off the bikes and Hajime desummons them. "What about the rest of us?"

Hajime holds up his ring and summons a large hummer. The four students gasp.

"If it's out of seats, get in the trunk." Hajime orders.

Aiko turns back to her four students. "O-Okay, everyone!"

Everyone gets into the hummer and Hajime drives off into the mountains.

"Here we go!" Shea shouts.

...

...

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04-20-2023

3678 words

Next up: Dragon Slayer!
Ruby meets the Dragonborn Tio!