Mavinsport is a small town. Not where Felix usually goes to, he prefers the cities. He’s become fond of electricity the past few years and going back to towns where electricity is scarce is awful. Or vehicles, he’d prefer a car any day over a horse. But then again, he just never got a hang of the whole horseback thing.

Rizeal laughs at him for it all the time. Maybe not physically, but he can hear it ringing in his mind.

“Why are we here again?” Felix complains, slouching as he nudges his horse to go the slightest bit faster. Not too fast though, he hated the rocking of the horse at speeds faster than a slow trot. The sun beats down on his back, burning into his delicate pale flesh.

Rizeal is irritated, even if she doesn’t say anything he can feel the anger radiating off of her. Felix is certain she’s got the stiffest frown on her lips and that she’s holding back a snapped I’ve told you that a million fucking times. Felix can’t help it, Rizeal was always fun to poke at.

It’s Aizel that replies though, chirping out, “It’s for one of Rizeal’s acquaintances. Trying to get more blood in the group.” Aizel is the only one that hates horseback more than Felix. Felix at least had some years out in the countryside whilst Aizel was raised in the city his entire life.

Felix would call the kid spoilt but…. Felix certainly didn’t envy Aizel for his life.

Rizeal seems to view Aizel as an ally, slowing down her horse to glare at Felix with sky blue eyes. “I have a friend here. Old friend. She’s doing this... protest in the town. Right around the research facility. She’d probably want to join our little rag tag team.”

“And why just us three? Or why not just you?” Felix asked, leaning forward so he can try to peek at Rizeal’s face. She’s definitely frowning but she can’t seem to help rolling her eyes at his antics.

“Because she might not agree with everything we propose and you’re a better talker than I am.” She lets the words out as if her teeth were being pulled.

“Ah.” Felix leans back in the saddle, straightening up in his posture. “She might not agree about the hybrids.” It makes sense after all, that’s what most everyone was skittish about. Majority that joined their cause either had hybrid magic or knew someone that did. It’s harder to coax those that only had the media to reference off of.

The media was never nice, especially with nephlims like the serial killer Ghost running about. They made sure to promote all the negative cases, like oh this one was a hybrid and they burned down their school. Never anything bright, even for the black or white magic nephlims.

“It’s…” Rizeal can’t even find a defense to the words. She doesn’t have to, Felix knows. It would be hard not to know. Those with hybrid magic are the monsters under the bed. They were blamed for the nephlim hatred and the war. Maybe fairly blamed in regards to the war, but Felix could never understand it.

“Are we going to be flat out telling her things? Because that would be stupid and asking for trouble. She could get more leeway with everyone by turning us in.” Aizel is a worrywart. Nipping at the biggest issue with approaching people about their plans. Their ideas. It’s all controversial enough to get the CME in a fizzy, let alone the fact that several of their members were hiding from the CME.

That was the issue with having hybrid nephlims helping out. The second they get discovered the entire group would be going up in flames. It’d be brutal and bloody. That’s what Aizel was there for, to make the plans for when things go south. He thought like the CME thought, could predict things and movements relatively accurately. The positive side of being a turn tail.

“No.” Rizeal sends a dark look over to Aizel before she looks forward again, “I was planning on asking her for a joint protest up in Laqrea. Maybe finding a way to figure out her thoughts on hybrids along the way?” She shoots a questioning glance over at Felix who offers a shrug.

“We can just mention a few things and figure out her feelings from there. Worst case scenario we team up with her for a few things and recruit people from those protests.” There wasn’t much else they could do. Everything was still in the sketching phase of planning. Just a general idea on what they wanted and how to go about. So many mysterious question marks still to fill in.

Rizeal gives a noncommittal hum before, “We’ll be there shortly. The protest won’t start for another hour or so but we should be able to find her somewhere around.”

“Who are we looking for again?” Felix asked, looking up into the sky at the sun. He isn’t looking forward to tracking someone down under its glare and the sun was only just now reaching its peak. It didn’t seem like a promising afternoon.

“Her name was Ionar or something like that. It’s been a while.” Rizeal doesn’t even pause to think. She’s probably been dreading this since the beginning because immediately Felix is snapping out,

“What do you mean or something? You don’t even know her name? Please, oh please tell me you at least know what she looks like.” Felix would have forced the horse to a halt if he thought it would help with anything. He knows Rizeal though, she’d have just left without him.

Not forever, of course, no Rizeal would never downright abandon him. She’d leave him to sulk by himself though. Maybe for several days depending on her mood. She always had the uncanny ability to find Felix though. Something he’d be forever grateful for; he doesn’t know what he’d be doing if Rizeal hadn’t found him the first time.

“Or did you have an idea on how to find her?” Aizel adds, sticking close to Felix like the good little soldier boy he is. Sometimes Felix worries that the boy wouldn’t think for himself if he needed to and would just agree with whatever Felix decided on. As much as Felix appreciated the sentiment he knew he made stupid moves sometimes and would prefer if someone smacked him and called him an idiot rather than agreeing blindly to his every suggestion.

“We could ask around for her. She’s the one leading this entire thing and if I saw her I would remember her. She’s very striking.” Rizeal retorts, huffing angrily before she kicked her horse’s side to get the horse to bolt forward and leave Felix and Aizel in the dust.

Aizel looks over at Felix before eyeing the departing horse. “I’m not doing that.” He says it so defiantly with a stubborn turn of the lips. Felix can’t help but grin, brace for the worst, and challenge him,

“You sure?” Felix doesn’t even wait for Aizel to reply before he’s darting off after Rizeal. It takes a second of stillness before Felix can hear the pounding of hooves behind him as Aizel gives chase. Felix can’t help the laugh that bubbles up and out of his throat as he leans forward, edging his horse to go faster.

It’s a quick thing, they tear right through the town until Rizeal slows down to a proper trot. Felix stumbles a bit in the change of speed whilst Aizel soars past them, his horse tripping over the stop before turning to stare at them. Rizeal is rolling her eyes and Felix can’t wipe the grin off his face.

Aizel on the other hand looks like a disgruntled kitten, brown hair flying about and freckles standing out against his pale skin. “Why did you two feel the need for that anyways.” It’s not so much a question more of a snapped complaint that he then adds, “We would have made it in a timely manner either way.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Felix says as he nudges his horse to head towards Aizel. Rizeal simply shakes her head, dismounting in one smooth motion.

“Come on you two, there’s a stable close by where we can take the horses.” Felix looks away from Aizel to glance over at Rizeal. She’s not even bothering to look back and make sure they are following before she leaves them. She just expects them to follow, which they do.

Aizel dismounts in a rush, a foot getting caught in the saddle on the way down causing him to do a little skipping motion until it was set free. Felix just stayed perched atop the horse, watching as amusement curls up inside like a cat on a warm lap at the boy’s antics.

A slight tap and his horse takes on a slow trot, following after Rizeal’s blonde head and her speckled horse.

She wasn’t lying when she said there was a stable close by; actually if anything she was overestimating the distance. In reality the stables was one building down from where they stopped. A large brown barn with a tiny white shed attached to it. There’s a window on the tiny shed, half open with a flier attached to it.

Rizeal is the one who reaches it first, giving a small knock on the window after taking a second to read the flier. Felix squints his eyes at it, trying to distinguish the letters into words. A girl pops her head out, a murky redhead with glasses perched on her nose as she stares at them before,

“Three horses?”

“And some feed if possible, ma’am.” Rizeal is all professional, back straight and a hand on the coin purse at her hip. The girl in the window nods, vanishes for a second before reappearing and chirping out,

“That will be 270 per night, plus an extra 70 for the feed. How many nights were you planning on staying?” She’s got a notepad out, pen neatly writing down words and numbers before taking a pause to stare at Rizeal.

Rizeal looks back, eyebrows arched as if waiting for confirmation. Felix heaves out a sigh, slowly dismounting and whispering calming words to the horse whilst his knee clips the horse’s back. Solid ground feels nice on his feet when he lands. Something that doesn’t move or fidget or rock and instead is steady and solid.

It’s a quick walk over, he passes a glance on the flier again, reading Freya’s Stables. Best place for a rest. We offer feed, heated blankets, treats, training, and more! Ask for more information before looking up at the girl. “It’ll only be for one night. We’re here for the…” A sheepish grin, “protest. Or the speaker? I’m honestly not sure what you would call it.”

The girl blinks at him, her mind moving sluggish before she gives a nod and says, “340 silvers please.” She doesn’t even pause on the thought of the protest, completely skipping past it to write down how much they owe. Rizeal is the one dropping the coins down on the window shelf.

Felix takes the paper, quickly scribbling down a signature before asking, “Do you know anything about that event?”

“Not exactly what I’m interested in. Give me a second so I can open the stables for you guys.” She holds up a finger before swiping everything on the desk and quickly filing the silver coins away. She’s gone as quickly, rushing out of sight the second the last coin touched the edge of whatever jar or container she used.

Felix sends a glance over in Rizeal’s direction, a cock of the head and she seems to understand in seconds. Nothing to be had here, a lost cause. She reaches over and grabs the reins of the other two horse saying, “I’ll take care of things here. How about you two look around the research facility? It’s where the event is supposed to be held. I’ll meet up after.”

Aizel hands over the reins to his horse without hesitation. “Yeah sure, who are we looking for again? Ionar? Do you know if she’s a nephlim at least?” The boy, man really because Felix knows he’s older than 16, sticks his hands in his pants pockets with a pout upon his lips. Like a child with their toy taken, given Felix doesn’t know what the toy would be in this instance. Maybe the toy was the city that Felix and Rizeal uprooted the boy from not too long ago.

“White magic, I don’t remember her type. But she’s got weak magic, mother wasn’t a nephlim.” Rizeal’s walking away already, three horses trailing behind her and crowding in around each other. Felix is quick to shout out,

“Thanks sweetie! You’re an angel, truly.” Aizel looks unimpressed, but Felix was never one to try to impress. If he wanted to impress someone he had other ways, easier ways than talking in a respectable manner to old friends. “Come on twerp, we got a mysterious woman to find and a protest to crash.” Felix gives Aizel’s shoulder a slap as he walks by.

“I’m not a-“ Aizel bites back the complaint, letting loose a heavy sigh before, “Whatever.” Aizel falls into step behind Felix with bitter complaints on the tip of his tongue.

“Yes, you are. You’re a spoiled little brat.” Felix laughs, looking back to watch as Aizel slouches even more than he was before. “We can get you some fags before we leave okay? I’m sure your addiction is acting up already.”

Aizel bounds forward a couple feet, irritated words being thrown into the air at the mere suggestion. “My so called addiction is not,” He uses finger quotations as he finishes spitting out the words, “acting up.” Felix cracks a grin in his direction, watching as the boy flusters before glaring at the ground.

“Uh huh. I’m sure it isn’t. You’re usually more lively than this though so ‘scuse me if I worry for your delicate little soul.” It’s a blatant tease and Aizel shoves Felix away the second the words are floating in the air. Felix can’t help the laughter as he returns the shove before saying, “Come on; let’s go find our mystery lady.”

“I thought that’s what we were doing.” Aizel is sulking, he doesn’t even bother retaliating the shove and instead picks up the speed. As if he knew where they were heading, then again there’s only so many places a research facility could be. The large white building further down the road with the large sign Mavinsport Research seemed like a pretty guilty candidate all things considered.

“You were whining is what you were doing.” Felix shouts at Aizel’s back. The boy turns around on his heel to shoot Felix the middle finger before continuing his solo storm towards the building. Felix gives him a few seconds to enjoy solitude before he darts after the boy.

“It doesn’t look like anything is going on though.” Is the quiet comment Aizel gives the second Felix catches up, amber eyes darting to the side to stare at Felix. He’s not sure this is the right place, having no faith built up in Rizeal yet. Not that Felix can blame him, Rizeal always did come with the wildest ideas.

“We came an hour or so early from the event itself happening. Given,” A quick glance around the empty street and Felix tacks on, “it is rather… desolate.” Logic would say there would be at least more people. There were only two bodies sitting about, one with a sign in their lap and a marker in their hand as they wrote out words and another huddling close to the front doors of the building.

It’s nothing promising, but Felix is sure he wasn’t promising either when Rizeal stumbled across him; Aizel most certainly wasn’t promising when they stumbled across him. This Ionar was their last ditch effort of doing things Rizeal’s way before she would heed way for Felix’s ideas.

Felix honestly thought she was putting too much faith on such a small thing. That’s what she always did, throwing her lot in with the things that were small and forgetful. It’s why he’d been whispering plots in her ears, slowly warming her up to the idea of making the world change. Not simply giving it the option to change but to actually bend it to their will.

It was the only way he could see things getting done. Fight fire with fire, an eye for an eye. It might make the whole world blind, but sitting by and letting yourself be burned alive was no way to change the world.

Aizel’s like a skittish cat, never wanting to interact unless it’s on his own terms. Felix can feel the restlessness rippling off of him, the urge to go somewhere small and dark and wait for an opening. To wait it out and see what happens. Felix wasn’t like that though.

He never liked waiting. Never liked watching and letting things happen.

He lets Aizel stay back, creeping around the outskirts as Felix marches straight up to the old man with the sign. “Hello, I was wondering… do you know of any…” A pause as he looks up into the sky as if debating on the words before, “event happening soon?”

The old man doesn’t even look up, white hair hanging around his head and shaky hold on the marker as he writes. The man heard him, Felix knows that with the small flinch the man did, but past that- nothing. Not a thought, not a sound.

He crouches down, getting a better look at the scarred face and the cardboard with the words NEPHLIM JOBS ARE IMPO scrawled across it in black messy ink. “The event? I’m here for a friend of mine who’s interested in nephlim rights.” That’s what gets the man to look up at him. Interest sparks his pale eyes before the man opens his mouth and croaks out,

“It got cancelled.” The words are sour, the man’s face scrunching up as he says them as if biting into something rotten. “Tyria never showed so it got cancelled.” He spits out the last words like a curse, his hand shaking around the marker and making the letter he was writing wobble.

“Tyria… Ionar?” It’s an innocent question, fishing for an answer that already fits. The old man’s eyes widen, a quick nod of the head as he exclaims,

“Yeah! That’s the one. She said-“ A stutter in the words as he snarls out, “She said this would help us and then the stupid bint won’t even show. Left us for the dogs. Everyone knows they have no respect for us here; only reason she gets some is ‘cause her dad fought in the war. Inherited respect that she don’t deserve.” There’s resentment and betrayal wrapped around every single word. Blame for something Felix doesn’t know.

If he thinks about it, he’d know. There’s other things to pause and think about. Other things to worry about than the saltiness of an old man about a protest that is never going to happen. Maybe he hoped for change like Rizeal, but was unable to make it happen. Hinging all his hopes on the younger generation to do since he was too scared to act up on his own.

“Her dad fought in the war?” Aizel is peeking up behind them. He’s curious, not that Felix would blame him. The boy was probably 6 or so when the war ended. The only real memories he’d have are of his parents fleeing or fighting. Humans had the two choices whilst nephlims really only had the one.

“Yeah, fought on the human’s side against Nicholas. He was a healer, one of the few that actually did a damn thing.” The old man was no longer snarling, instead he sat up straighter and lets the marker drop from his hand as his anger fades to the sides. “Maybe if there were more like him we wouldn’t be here. So, of course people thought he could make a difference. Or that his daughter could make a difference.”

A laugh, cold and harsh escapes the man’s throat as he adds, “And she did. By showing what big fools all of us were.”

“There’s nobody here though.” Felix looks around, the place is still as empty as it was ten minutes ago. Nothing changed, the person cowering by the entrance was still there wrapped up in a huge blanket that covered their head.

“She called to cancel it hours ago. Didn’t even bother to show up or give a reason. Just… gave someone a letter saying it was cancelled.” The old man reaches back for the marker, his hand trembling as he picks it up from the grass. Aizel stands on the side, hovering with wide eyes. Obviously curious, nosey over every little thing like a child just released in the outside world.

The old man was tired though, tired and defeated. He wrote the words on the cardboard just to pretend there was something out there when there wasn’t. One more hope dashed and no hope left to stand on.

“Well, I can’t offer a protest or any grand thing like that but…” Felix hesitates, waiting for those pale eyes to look back up, “I do know somewhere that has a job open.” When one opening closes you make another. He’s sure he could find somewhere to put an old man that cared. He wasn’t planning on going Nicholas’s route after all. Human or nephlim, they all deserved the same things. Though, he had a hunch that the old man was a nephlim.

Possibly a healer, most doctors that ended up as nephlims got fired. The risk too great for their patients and if you spent your entire life learning how to heal and found yourself jobless… well, there weren’t many more opportunities to take. With any luck, the man would be a healer. Felix will be needing some of those in the coming months if everything falls into place.

“I don’t know what kind of job you’re offering but I’m not buying.” It’s suspicion that holds the old man’s tongue. Biting off offers that are untrustworthy. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Felix was never one to fool people though. At least, not when it came to things of so little importance.

“There’s an accounting job up in Laqrea. Not a very busy place and the pay won’t be the best but it is a job.” Felix continues as if the man never rejected the offer. The man is still suspicious, as if there was some trap laid beneath the offer.

“Why would this… Tyria not showing up cause the protest to fall apart? You guys could have continued without her.” Aizel promptly goes back to the beginning. His eyes are furrowed and he’s pouting once again as he asks the questions. He’s thinking they are all idiots, surely. That everyone is just using someone else as a crutch so when the crutch disappears they are left stumbling to the ground and unwilling to get up.

As if they don’t have power in their own legs to get up and move. Felix doesn’t blame him, Aizel had a very black and white one sided view on things.

“No one listens to us. Half the people that were going to show up bailed the second they found out it was cancelled and the rest...” The old man snarls, a shifty glance around before he says, “Who’s going to listen to a senile man? Not any of you youngsters that’s for sure.”

“That’s why we’re here.” Aizel’s offended, puffing up his chest and getting ready for the coming argument. Felix quickly bites in,

“We want change too and we heard about this and thought… it’d be a good place to start, right?”

The old man squints at them, opening his mouth and Felix is quick to add, “The job offer was serious. We can’t do much, but we just want to make things easier and better. Even the tiniest things count, hmm?” Felix reaches down for the marker asking, “I could write down the address and you could check up on it on your own?”

The old man snatches the marker away and snaps out,“Piss off. I’m not falling for no trickery.”

“It’s not-“ Aizel sounds insulted, as if his pride has been wounded and he’s on the offensive now. Felix gives him a warning glance before,

“Okay, the offer still stands though. Just stop by Andreas if you ever change your mind. Tell them Nathan sent you.” Felix stands up, brushing off his pants before tugging Aizel away. Aizel was still spitting fury, chest puffed out and eyebrows furrowed. “C’mon buddy. We got what we wanted.”

“That’s not-“

“Who we were here for isn’t here. That’s what we were after. A location.” Another tug on Aizel’s sleeve as they walk back the way they came. “We got that, now we need to go get Rizeal and tell her that her plan was for naught.” It’s a blessing in disguise really, the last straw to make Rizeal cave into his idea.

“And we aren’t going to do anything else? To…” Aizel gestures wildly to the research facility, the old man, and the person still curled up on the footsteps of the building. He’s still thinking they came for the protest, for talking people into giving nephlims more jobs or more rights. Maybe if the protest was actually happening they’d toss in their hats and help, but they weren’t going to make one happen that’s already been canceled.

Mavinsport was too tiny of a town for that. They were heading to the capitols for that, recruiting the promising ones and leaving the towns behind. That’s Rizeal’s plan anyways.

“It’s a lost cause already if they gave up because one person didn’t show up. “ Aizel stares up with wide amber eyes as if not expecting him to say that. As if Felix could never think such things. Aizel was still new blood to how things went around in the group. Still naïve and idealistic and believing every word Felix spouted.

“But…” Aizel is petulant, giving another glance behind him as if that would change what he’d see. The grass was still dying, the trees bare in the winter air and the entire street an empty abyss with a few lost souls sitting about. It’s all a moot point, as Felix looked up he could see the familiar blonde head of Rizeal walking towards them.

“Andrea!” Felix shouts, watching as her head jolts up, wide blue eyes staring at them. He makes a come here motion, nudging Aizel to walk faster as they go to meet Rizeal. She’s expecting news like I got lost or we couldn’t find anything as if the other two weren’t good for anything.

That’s a lie. Felix knows Rizeal trusts them, or at least him with her life. She might grouch about things but the trust is there. Thick and suffocating. Sometimes he wishes she didn’t trust him like that, too many times he had thoughts of manipulating her to his will. It’d be so easy after all. Just a single thought, a word. That’s all he needed.

“You two are going the wrong way, you know.” She snaps as soon as they are in spitting distance. She’s already releasing a sigh of exasperation, rolling her sky blue eyes to the heavens and twirling her finger in the air as if to tell them to turn around.

“It’s dead.” Felix chirps, wrapping an arm around Rizeal’s shoulders as he forces her to turn around. “So where’s our hotel room at? I feel like it’ll be a good day for an early night.” Aizel trips beside him, opening his mouth to refute and ruin everything so Felix rushes to add, “Your Ionar didn’t show up. Not as promising as you thought, yeah?”

“What? How do you-“ Rizeal cranes her head back as if she’ll anything other than the dead street they walked up. As if suddenly it’ll become livelier and the noises of a protest will begin.

“A lost cause.” Felix hums, tugging Rizeal further up the road and away from the emptiness.

“We could…” Aizel starts, shutting up the second Felix slides his green eyes over to glare at the boy. Naïve child that doesn’t actually think. It was never about the town.

“Hotel first. We can drink our sorrows away tomorrow.” Felix demands with a grin. Rizeal has this glint in her eye, as if she’s suspicious. It’s there and gone in a second before she shoves Felix away and fixes the bag hanging on her shoulder.

“Well let’s not waste daylight then. Even if today is duller than expected.” She dusts her hands off before charging ahead and leading the way. Aizel sits back with a frown, amber eyes darting to each building they passed; sticking to the ones with windows where people bustled about their way.

“We aren’t going to…” He starts before biting his lip.

“There’s nothing for us to do.” Felix finishes.

Mavinsport was a broken town, the one where the war started and it never picked up its feet after. The buildings old, the people quiet. It was dangerous to stay outside, the madness of magic consumed those that breathed the air too long they said.

A vital place for research, the large building being the only reason people flocked to the area. Mainly those fascinated with the disease, with the power.

Nothing good ever started from Mavinsport, but Rizeal was determined to see if there were some fruit ripe for the picking. Aizel was naïve thinking they were there to help when really all they’d do is take those that could help them.

Aizel frowns as he drops his gaze. Starring instead at the broken concrete under their feet. No longer looking at the brown and rotting buildings, or the ones overgrown with dead plants clinging to the walls. He’s thinking it’s dead here. Everything is dead here.

Felix can feel the thought like a thorn under his thumb. Something stabbing, but easily washed away.

“What hotel did we get?” It doesn’t remove the thorn, but the words nudge it enough out of the way for Aizel to snap his gaze back to his two companions.

“Cheap one. You know we can’t afford anything extravagant. Thank the godlings the prices dropped because of winter.” Rizeal huffs out.

Felix laughs, “I’m sure we can afford some luxury.” He taps his pocket and lets the coins jingle inside the cloth. “Not completely broke.”

“Yet.” Rizeal snaps before stopping in front of a bricked building swallowed up in the shadows of its surroundings. “Here we are.” She waves a hand out towards the building. “Home sweet home.”

“At least for the night. Tomorrow we head back to Laqrea?” Felix inquiries as he steps up on the stairs leading to the doorway. The door is this rickety old thing, barely holding onto the hinges, but as he gives it a slight push the inside is much more welcoming and cozy. There’s a deep red rug over wooden floors and a fire thriving in the fireplace. There’s an elderly man at the counter napping the day away.

The breath Rizeal releases is full of defeat as she says, “Yes, tomorrow we’ll start planning for the CME.” Aizel has wide, innocent eyes. He doesn’t even know what’s coming, what’s going to happen when Felix gets to take the reins in their group.

He doesn’t even realize what he has to offer. What Felix plans on taking from the little runaway soldier. Felix takes one look at the poor child, an unfortunate sacrifice before he stares at Rizeal and proclaims,

“Tomorrow is when everything will really begin.”