Part 15

Ding!

“Money-cough-customers! What brings you to this fine…”

“Added a bell and fixed the roof. Good job pussy cat.”

“Store…”

The reveal of a smirking Knight blew Malemi’s pure joy into smithereens. The feeling of his hope being so cruelly destroyed narrowed his vision. Only Knight, bringer of despair, burned into his eyes. Not his two most precious customers.

“What the freak do you want?” Malemi purred.

“Your top hat…ha,” Knight let slip a giggle but…

“Not funny punk. Just get lost.”

…But Malemi didn’t retaliate. He was in a foul mood and Knight knew there was only one reason why.

Wiping the smirk off his face, Knight told him the real reason. “Sorry… The real reason I came was to see Iroha. These two told me she should be here.

Malemi’s purring was quenched as he turned around to see his two hooded customers.

“Scarlett? Chirop? *sigh*”

“Yeah, it’s us again, Malemi!” Scarlet bounced around the store.

“SIS- I mean… Enough of that Scarlet Scream. Good sir Malemi, we promise to buy more world-destroying artefacts if you converse with our white Knight.”

“Really?” Malemi’s eyes lit up. “Ya got a deal, kid. Get ya dracos ready ‘cause I’ll be finding you even better items than last time.”

Leaving a hopping Scarlet, exuding excitement, and a restless Chirop, disguising his, Malemi walked over to Knight.

“So?” Knight asked a solemn Malemi.

“So?”

“So, where is she?”

“Not here.”

“…What a pain,” Knight muttered at Malemi’s reply. He wasn’t on good terms with Malemi, so how was he supposed to coax him for answers whilst he’s in this foul mood? “Look, what’s she done? I know she was here and I know you know where she is.”

A sigh escaped Malemi as he shifted his gaze to his feet and placed a hand on his head.

“She’s gone.”

“Gone?”

“Yep. She’s well on her way to the king.”

“HUUUUUUUUUUUUH!” Knight’s mouth fell open and his eyebrows raised. “After all this, she fucking left me?!”

“It ain’t as simple as that, punk,” Malemi said, his voice empty. Not even a purr at Knight’s harsh conclusion.

“Sure sounds like it.”

“Just shut up a minute,” Malemi told Knight, still lacking his usual fiery tone.

“…Right”

After a couple of deep breathes, Malemi returned his gaze to Knight and spoke. “First off, she didn’t just buy stuff for herself. She bought a little something for the kid and a whole bunch of clothes and light armour for yourself.”

Knight wanted to laugh it off as a waste of money. He figured she’d finally had enough of him and gave up on whatever she was planning. But deep down, Knight knew that wasn’t the case.

“Secondly, after buying everything, she lingered in the store for about an hour – waiting for you.”

All knight wondered was that if this was true, why did she leave at all? It made no sense to him.

“Thirdly, she’s with you to bring you to the king, right? Two reasons why that’s so important: the king’s daughters will mess her up if she ignores it; she’s also been gone for like, a year. She needs the king's approval again. She needs hope.”

“That-”

“No, that might sound like an ulterior motive, but don’t twist it. You mean a lot to her. I’ve known her for some time and she ain’t had any friends. Well, apart from me and Meimi of course.”

“…”

Knight hated it. No way was he going to pity her. Not someone who messes with him as much as she does. He didn’t want to feel a tinge of sadness… but he did. Deep down, he wanted to see her again. Not because Rei would shout for not apologising, but because… he didn’t know. All he knew was that he as arguing with himself. It was his brain against something else inside him. It wasn’t his heart, he knew that for sure. But then why, despite everything she’s done to him, did he want to travel with her and meet the king?

“I just…don’t know…”

“I don’t know what you don’t know, but give me an answer. Go after her, will ya?”

“But... she’s long gone by now, right?”

“Nah, punk. It’ll take her quite a bit to get to reverse mountain. She’ll be camping on the way.”

“Still…”

“Nah, there ain’t no ‘still’ punk. Especially considering she won’t get past the new border patrol. If I knew before she left, I could have told her at least” Malemi pressed on with new information that made no sense to Knight.

“What?”

“Never mind about that. All you need to know is that she’s in danger, AND you can save her. Even your weak-ass.”

Knight wanted to. He didn’t want to. He truly wanted to. He truly did not want to. But…

“Whatever, I’m off.”

He didn’t answer but Malemi knew.

“Idiot punk. I didn't tell you which way she went!”

"..."

"Punk... The fastest path to the king is down the left crevice. She probably went there.

"Probably..." Knight mumbled as he made his way out of the messy shack with his best bet. A ‘probably’.