Happy Late New Year! 🎉
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While walking down the halls of the crumbling-looking guard post to the office of the city guard captain, Milo looked as though he would rather be anywhere else. "He can't be that bad," Alex said. "It's not that he is bad but...distanced." "How so?" Amari asked, eyebrow raised. "Well, we don't interact with him much, and our stars haven't even been checked. About three years ago, a chunk of city guards—about six—left together all at once. Since then, our numbers have been slowly going down until it's what you see right now." He sighed as he continued, "Part of the reason I'm the only archer right now is because two left at the beginning with that group—others followed suit. It makes me wonder where that group is now—the captain was pissed for weeks, so mad he said they had "forgettable faces anyway." Apparently, they even took a map." Amari's eyes widened. "Two archers, six guards in all...a map?" Amari stayed silent as they walked. "Well...that explains why they were stronger than normal bandits..." Amari—like with most of her thoughts—decided to keep that to herself.
As they turned the corner, Amari brushed against a very familiar face. They both paused as the group kept walking—Amari's eyes glinting and recognizing, "The guy that stole that bread..." He smiled at her. "You probably don't remember me, do you?" "Of course I do, Milo told me you got in." His eyes widened slightly before his smile grew a bit bigger. "Well, I wouldn't have even tried if it weren't for you." "You probably would have—" "No, I wouldn't have—so thank you." Amari paused, letting the words sink in before nodding. "No problem."
"Amari!" She turned her head to find the others standing at the end of the hall. "Oh—yeah, I've got to go." "It's no problem. See you around then?" "See you around."
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"I don't have time for your theatrics today, Aaron." Aaron huffed, "Well, aren't you in a sour mood?" He grinned, slamming his palm to his fist. "How about we spar, eh? Might change your mood!"
"No, I'll pass."
Aaron looked as though someone had kicked a puppy and said the puppy was him. "Ah, come on, Andy!" "No." "But—" "Do you see how much work I have to do?"
Standing in the city guard captain's office, the rest of the group watched the interaction happen before Sebastion cleared his throat, sparing a look at Aaron. "Oh right—we are done with the sewer mission!" Andy didn't even glance up. "I figured as much. He took out paper from his drawer. "Alright, I need names, star rankings, and blah blah-"
Andy spread out multiple slips of paper. "Alright—Aaron, you first." "What—but you already know me—" The glare Andy gave him caused him to huff, "Fine..." He straightened his back. "Name: Aaron, Leader of the Jaded Blade, Star 3" Andy hummed "Next" "Name Sebastion, member of the Jaded Blade, high two-star." "Next" "Name Alex, member of the jaded blade, middle two-star." As Andy wrote, he motioned them to continue, "Name Jamie, member of the Jaded Blade, low two-star." He raised an eyebrow. "Low two-star?" Jamie nodded; he glanced at the letter Aaron had sent someone to give him about the mission. It wasn't much, and it was so messy that Andy didn't even bother reading all of it. However, what he did catch was that there was a level three monster that wore a cape, allowing it to fly. He is surprised none of them came back in a body bag—let alone a low two-star.
He wrote her information down before saying, "Continue." Amari straightened her back and spoke, "Name's Amari. I'm—" She paused. That's right, she couldn't really call herself a wanderer, could she? What should she address herself as now? Who is she if she is no longer a person that comes and goes in a person's memory? The person in the background? But she wasn't always like that, was she?
Amari snapped out of her stupor when she felt a hand pat her shoulder. "She's a member of the Jaded Blade," Aaron said, with Sebastion, Jamie, and Alex nodding along. "She's also a friend of mine," Milo added. Amari stiffened. "Huh... I guess I am. Maybe that will do for right now." She cleared her throat. "Middle-High two-star." She finishes as Andy scribbles it down before speaking up. "I've been meaning to ask. Milo, why are you here?" Milo blinked, confused. "I was with them, sir."
The silence was loud.
"You what?"
"I went with them?"
"And you didn't inform me?"
"Well, I did—"
"The whole time your shift has been open—when I thought YOU were patrolling?" It didn't sound like a question.
"Sir, I had informed you—even before I was sure, I told you I was thinking about it—"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER!"
Andy stood up, his voice echoing off the walls and his feet moving towards Milo in fury: "Anything could have happened! What if someone or something had invaded while you were supposed to be on patrol, huh? What would have happened then?!"
"I—Sir—"
Andy was now in his face. "How can you be a city guard if you're so irresponsible? You don't even deserve the bow on your back." He reached for the bow on Milo and threw it on the floor. Before it could hit the ground, however, Amari grabbed it. "What the hell is this guy's problem? Milo really cares for this bow—he told himself it's an archer's pride. So for this guy to throw it so easily...to throw his pride—" Her jaw tightened. Sebastian pulled Milo—who had shock written on his face—back as Aaron stepped between them.
"Woah, ok, you need to back up. He told you, didn't he? He said it himself—he did! Heck, I remember him telling ME he told you! You're the city guard captain—you're the leader! It's your responsibility to remember and plan accurately! You can't blame him for something YOU don't remember!" Andy scoffed, "You're one to talk about reasonableness—you get to flock around all day with your little gang. You don't know responsibility—heck, you don't even know how to be a leader! You don't know what it takes. You're not even strong enough to handle it."
Aaron balled his fist. "All those things you named... I do know all of that. I do know how to be a leader… about responsibility—better than you anyway. Strength? You want to know true strength?" Aaron's eyes were filled with fury.
"Come outside."