"I understand that, but it was still appropriate for us to just wait a minute or two," Sasaki muttered, his voice edged with irritation as his horse's hooves thudded against the narrow forest road.
"Now you're the one making me look like the bad one here," Lucy shot back, her eyes sharp beneath the fading sunlight.
"Hey, hey, you guys should calm down for once, please," Jackson cut in, his tone steady, though his gaze flicked warily between them.
Alfie sighed, slumping slightly as the trees around them grew thicker, branches arching overhead. The road narrowed, casting long shadows. The orange glow of sunset was fading, leaving the world dipped in a dusky blue.
"The sun's about to set," Sasaki said, glancing up at the streaks of fire fading into the horizon. "Don't you think we should stop and rest for a bit?"
Lucy's brows furrowed, her grip tightening on the reins. "You complained about stopping back in the Kingdom of Meekness—I don't get it. And now you want to rest? There's no way we're stopping. It's going to be a ride all night long till we get there."
"Tch." Sasaki scoffed. "Then why don't we just teleport there instead of riding on the backs of these horses?"
"Can we do that, Master?" Alfie asked hopefully.
"Of course not," Lucy replied coldly. "I have no memory of the place. How can I teleport somewhere I've never been?"
Silence swallowed them after that. Only the sound of hooves on dirt and the whistling of the rising wind filled the air.
Hours passed in relentless riding. Midnight fell. The air grew sharp and violent—the wind howled through the trees, whipping their cloaks and stinging their faces. Overhead, clouds gathered thick and heavy, roaring with thunder.
The storm was coming.
"Can we stop now, before we're blown off our horses?" Sasaki called over the howling wind.
Lucy didn't even look back. "If you're as skinny as a piece of leaf, then let the wind carry you. Otherwise, keep riding." Her horse trotted into a small town just as fat drops of rain began to fall.
The streets were deserted. Windows shuttered tight, doors bolted. Every home was dark, its residents hiding away from the storm.
Then Alfie spotted two people. "Look… what are those guys doing here?" Two figures stood at the far end of the street—men in Shinra cape uniforms, watching quietly.
"I guess they're on a job," Lucy replied casually.
But when Alfie blinked, the two were gone. He twisted in his saddle, scanning left and right. "What the—where the hell did they go?"
"Don't panic," Sasaki said. "They're Shinras. They can't attack us."
"Don't forget," Jackson cut in, his voice low, "it was Shinras chasing that boy back there in ASHURA."
"…I almost forgot," Sasaki muttered.
Lucy stopped in front of a large shop with an open horse garage, its wide shelter empty. The rain hammered harder now, thunder splitting the night sky.
"Oh no… don't tell me we're stopping here," Sasaki groaned.
"Of course we are," Lucy answered flatly. "You didn't want Meekness, so here's your alternative."
"I thought you said we were going to ride through the night. I think I'll choose that option now."
"Shut the hell up. I give the orders, not you. All of you—get in before the storm blows you from your horse." She led her mount inside, the others reluctantly following.
Once they were in, Lucy lifted her hand. A faint shimmer spread over the garage, enclosing it in a protective dome. Wind and rain slammed against it outside but could not pass through. From within, the barrier shimmered faintly before fading invisible.
"How can we rest on grass?" Alfie complained, eyeing the hard ground.
Lucy snapped her fingers, summoning three mattresses from her storage ring.
Sasaki's jaw dropped. "How many things do you have in that ring? You're even pulling out living things like horses—how the hell do you even do that?"
"It's something you can't do, that's what it is," Lucy replied coolly.
"That's not an answer. You know it's not," Sasaki retorted.
"Hey, we're four here. Why bring out three?" Sasaki asked, frowning.
"You fool. Don't you see? They're big enough to share. Alfie and Jackson get one, you take one, and I take one."
"Hmph. Fine. Now I get it."
Lucy then brought out a Renshi-powered electric lamp, purchased earlier in Ashura. She infused it with her Renshi, and a soft glow filled the room.
"That'll draw attention to us. Turn it off," Sasaki warned sharply.
"Don't worry," Lucy said, already lying down. "No one can see us from outside. The barrier hides everything." She yawned, stretched out, and within moments was already dozing off.
"So fast…" Jackson muttered.
Sasaki flopped onto his mattress as well, quickly succumbing to exhaustion. Alfie and Jackson soon followed, the sound of the storm outside blending with the rhythm of their steady breathing.
---
The night passed. Morning came.
"Hey. Hey, wake up, both of you!" Sasaki's voice broke the silence.
Alfie groaned, rolling over. "What is it, Mr. Reaper? Let me sleep for a few more minutes…"
Jackson, already on his feet, froze. His eyes locked on the entrance. "Who the hell are those people?"
Sasaki looked up sharply. "We're in their garage, you fool. Keep your voice down!"
Lucy stood near the entrance, her face grim, staring at the scene beyond the barrier. A crowd had gathered—men, women, and children—all pressing forward, muttering and pointing.
"Go get the protectors!" an old man barked. His voice carried authority, two men head into the town to get their protectors while two younger men immediately rushed forward. But their charge stopped short as their bodies collided with an invisible wall. The barrier rippled faintly, holding them back.
"What's with all this noise… keep it down already," Alfie grumbled, stretching.
"Stand up already," Jackson hissed at him.
"I will if you shut up," Alfie replied, annoyed. But then his eyes snapped open wide as he noticed the crowd outside. "What the hell—?! What's going on, Master? Who are those people?"
"They're the residents of this place," Lucy replied calmly. "The shop's owner came earlier than I expected."
"You overslept this time,just accept it," Sasaki said smugly.
"Shut up, will you," Lucy shot back.
She raised her hand and deactivated the barrier. Immediately, voices erupted.
"Who the hell are these people?!" a man shouted.
"They're Shinras—you can tell from their dress," the old man said.
"When did kids start parading as Shinras? They don't even have badges! They're just rogues seeking refuge!" a younger voice cried out.
Alfie's stomach dropped. "This… this is bad. Do something, Master!"