The town was beautiful under the fleeting night sky. The lights glowed warmly upon the brick roads bringing a sense of color to the mostly grey town. Even under the streetlight shine Mahiro still shivered in the freezing breeze that swept through the empty streets. It was mostly quiet, save for the distant chirping crickets that lingered in the nearby gardens but it gave him time to think about all the events that had transpired over the past month. The arrival, meeting Toma, and learning his first spell. He'd come a long way in such a short amount of time, he'd never imagined himself being this way back home.

He felt the warmth of Emika's presence by his side, she seemed rather quiet, her vacant eyes staring ahead as if she were lost in thought and her vision unfocused on what was ahead. He wondered if he should ask if she were okay but he immediately threw the idea from his mind, knowing that he'd likely not get a straight answer. She was strong, confident, and a natural leader. Not willing to let anyone know what may be going on in her head, whether that was good or bad only really fell to circumstance.

He sang a song in his head as they continued their way down the quiet streets, an old song; one that he'd probably get made fun of for liking. The thought kept his mind away from the growing, gnawing awkwardness that had slowly shown itself between them. The longer they walked the more awkward it became, his heart began to thump and his stomach was full of butterflies. He had to restrain himself from showing any physical sign of what he was feeling.

"Mahiro," Emika's voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back to reality.

"What is it?" He asked.

He looked at her, she was now staring at the ground, her pigtails hung over the side of her head, obscuring her face from him. She flicked her index finger on her thumb nervously before she suddenly raised her head forward and sighed.

"I'm sorry about how I treat you sometimes," She blurted the words quickly, as if they had been lingering in her mind for a while, "I really come off like a bitch, huh?"

Mahiro flushed and scratched his head nervously. He wasn't sure what to say, he couldn't just ignore her but he was admittedly shocked to hear her be so honest. The fact that it had come out of the blue didn't help either.

"Uh," He started, his voice shaking, "We've been friends for a while. I guess I kinda got used to it and honestly it's not that bad."

"It is bad," She replied now looking at him apologetically. Her eyebrows furrowed and for a moment he swore that he saw a tear glisten in her beautifully wide blue eyes.

"It's really not, don't worr-"

"Won't you listen to me?" She cried and a short silence followed. Mahiro watched as a tear began to roll down her soft cheek, "What if we die here? It doesn't matter how much time has passed, Mahiro. I'm still scared. I just don't want your last memory of me to be one where I'm teasing you."

He could see it on her face, this place was really starting to get to her. He had to admit, it had gotten to him too. The only one seeming not bothered by the situation was Kaya, he envied that about her. But it wasn't fair to assume anything about her, she was a box with a thousand locks keeping it shut, maybe she was just as scared as the rest of them.

"We aren't going to die here, trust me." Mahiro declared, pointing into his chest with his thumb, "We're gonna find a way out and kick some ass while we're at it."

He did put it on a little but judging by Emika's giggle and teary-eyed smile, he had done something right.

"You're always the optimist," She said, still smiling, "Always the smart one, yet so painfully and innocently dense."

Mahiro raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that? Are you teasing me again?"

Suddenly she hugged his arm as they walked and he almost jumped at the unexpected touch. She felt warm by his side and he began to blush. Quickly he turned his head to one side, away from her and trying his best to focus his attention elsewhere in a feeble to hide the redness of his face from her.

They were now leaving the dense grey of the town, skimming on the edge until they came across a small lake by the side of the street with a rickety wooden jetty that had several small fishing boats attached to it. Upon catching sight of the lake, they immediately made their way over to the jetty to sit at edge. Once they sat down, they watched the stars shimmer in the reflection of the lake as the fish would jump and create ripples.

How can a world be so dark, yet so beautiful at the same time?

Emika had her head on his shoulder, her hair smelt of charcoal and he could only guess that his did too. A month by the campfire would do that to one. He sat there for a while watching the water with her in silence while a million thoughts raced in his mind. She made his heart beat fast and he was stupid to think that she meant anything more than a friend. Why was he thinking that now? That he had any possible chance with her or anyone for that matter.

He had to get his mind away from those thoughts, anything would do.

"Maybe we'll get through this together just fine,"Emika said softly, her voice like a warm blanket upon the cold air of the night, "I just wish we had Toma with us. He would have been a great guide."

"Yeah," Mahiro agreed, "But you heard the man. He's gotta stick around for the next batch of unfortunates to make their way through the gateway."

There was a short silence and Mahiro felt Emika grip her hand tightly around his wrist then she looked up at him with her large eyes.

"Mahiro, let's make sure there'll never be another batch to come through ever again. This cycle has to stop."

"We will," He reassured her, "I didn't waste all that time learning a spell for nothing."

"There's something else that I've been thinking about."

"Mm?"

"You were always so shy back home, around girls other than us but since we got here, you seem a little forward," She said.

"Aw c'mon, that's not true," He dismissively laughed it off.

"Yes, it is."

"Do you want a serious answer? Really?"

She looked up at him again and pursed her lips in thought for a moment, "Yes, please."

"Okay, okay," He replied, "But you can't make fun of me."

She nodded and waited for him to speak.

"Well, it's mostly because ever since I started high school, I've never had a romantic connection. Y'know, I'm the smart kid in class - the nerd. No girl back home is interested in that. I play video games and am a total loser so I guess I just thought that here, I could be someone different... And also they're pretty hot."

Emika let out a groan, "Here I was taking you seriously."

"But I was being serious. That's just kind of my way to not seem too serious," He paused and felt a somber feeling wash over him then sighed, "I guess I'm kinda socially inept here too huh? They at least don't know how much of a loser I really am."

"You don't have to be someone else for people to like you. Kaya and I are friends with you because of who you are, the quiet and adorable nerdy kid," Emika suddenly slapped a hand over her mouth and removed herself from his shoulder, realizing what she had just said.

When he heard that she had called him adorable, his face went bright red and they quickly avoided each other's gaze. He didn't know what to do, he was panicking and he could feel that Emika was trembling. There was only one thing he could do, he had to pretend it was a joke.

"Aw, C'mon that's not fair," He chuckled forcibly, "I was being serious,"

She rebounded off his words like a tennis ball, "I'm quite the comedian, right?"

Mahiro patted her head, "Of course you are."

"Okay so, how long are your friends gonna be out for? It's been like," Meira's ears flattened and she began counting her fingers one by one, "An hour and a half?"

She was now lying on the bed with her arms behind her head and staring at the ceiling. Kaya sat along the side with her hands in her lap, awkwardly waiting for both Mahiro and Emika's return. Despite the fact that Meira insisted that she could trust her, Kaya still kept her sword by her side, letting it sit lean on the bed frame within arms reach.

Kaya shrugged, "Who knows, they could be another hour for all we know."

Meira let out a groan and threw an arm over her eyes, "This is getting boring, I thought they'd be back a hell of a lot sooner."

Suddenly she sat up and rolled herself into a sitting position beside Kaya.

"I'll be back in just a moment," She said, and within a flash she disappeared from the room, leaving Kaya on her lonesome.

With nothing else to do, she unsheathed her blade and studied it. It was clearly not the best sword she had seen in her life but it was sturdy. The blade had occassional chips that ran along it with scratches etched into the flat. The hilt wasn't in much better shape, made of simple splintering wood and wrapped with a soiled cloth. She simply slipped it back into the sheath and glanced at her bow, concluding that'd she'd prefer you use that to the sword.

When Meira eventually returned, she returned with a large bottle of beer clutched tightly by the neck in her clawed hand. Kaya almost rolled her eyes, it was becoming apparent that she was quite the alcoholic.

"Isn't the bar closed?" Kaya asked and was quickly hushed by Meira.

"I kinda stole it," She replied and grinned devilishly.

"You can't do that, the barman will suspect it was us!"

Meira shrugged flippantly, not losing the grin for a moment, "Trust me, bottles of beer were 'Mysteriously' vanishing long before you three arrived. The cat burglar strikes again - literally."

"And I suppose that makes it okay?"

"Oh come on," Meira groaned, "If you have the skills, use them to your advantage. That's what my father always told me."

Kaya raised an eyebrow and sat back on the bed with her arms behind her, "I don't imagine that was what he had in mind."

"I like to think it was," She winked.

Meira walked across the room, stepping over the weapon and backpacks strewn across the floor until she sat again on the bed by Kaya' side and opened the bottle with a hiss.

"So what is your home like?" Kaya asked, letting the tension in her settle.

Meira was still mid-sip when she asked and raised her eyebrows in what was clearly sarcastic surprise.

"It's pretty quaint," She said, "A small place called Khintra on the outskirts of the City of the second star."

Curious, Kaya continued with another question, "Why is it called that? The city I mean."

"Because it's on the border between here and the shadowlands. The City sits in the middle of a great wall that spans across the horizon. It's kinda like a gateway between here and the shadowlands," She sipped again, "Lot's of attacks, the guards there have got their work cut out for them. If you ever join the military, you better hope you don't end up there. Most people from Khintra are forcibly drafted since it's cheaper and faster than recruiting elsewhere. Most people feel obliged to serve the guard - me - Not so much."

"Is that why you became a bounty hunter? To get away from there?"

Meira clicked her finger and pointed at Kaya, "Exactly! I wanted to get as far away from that damn place as possible. I wasn't about to die, watching a fucking gate," She paused for a moment and took another sip and then eyed Kaya over curiously, "What about you? What's it like over in the world you come from?"

Kaya debated whether, to be honest, or not. Meira had seemingly been truthful to her so why should she lie? Then again, Meira could have been disingenuous herself. But her deep yellow eyes told her that she was telling the truth. It was more a gut feeling than a physical observation and she chose to follow her gut.

"I come from a land called Japan," She started and Meira enthusiastically nodded, "There's really not much to say. We go to a school in a city called Tokyo and honestly, It's all mundane. The City, the people, the school; It's all the same."

"Do you like it better here?" Meira asked, her tone serious.

"I do," Kaya admitted, "I feel like I have a purpose here. For the first time, I feel like I can see colors - yet - I feel homesick at the same time."

Meira's ears flattened as a sad expression crossed her pretty face, "Thanks for telling me the truth, I really appreciate it."

"You could tell if I was lying?"

"I can read emotional energy remember? It comes off as dark and truthful at the same time."

Kaya squinted, "It's gonna take a while to get used to that."

"Don't worry," Meira said, taking another sip of beer, "I'll keep it to myself. That goes for everyone."

"Please do," Kaya replied.

"Anyway," Meira said rising to her feet with a slight stumble, "I was wondering if you'd like some extra company from here on out. After the bounty, I mean?"

"You want to come with us?" Kaya asked, genuinely surprised.

Meira nodded, "Not like I have anything better to do and somehow, I get the feeling you all won't last long on your own."

"Well, that's an encouraging thought," She said sarcastically, "But sure if you want. Just don't go and stab any of us in the back, will you?"

Meira sighed, "I won't."

Suddenly the door creaked open to reveal Mahiro with Emika following close behind. The two looked slightly awkward and Kaya wasn't sure if she should ask about it or not.

"Did we miss anything?" Mahiro asked as he took a seat on the floor.

"Nothing much," Kaya replied, "But it's about time you two got back. We have some stuff to plan."

Emika rolled her eyes, "We'd have gotten back here sooner if this idiot didn't get us lost."

"Hey, I'm new here. How am I supposed to know how to get back?" Mahiro protested.

"Maybe the way we went beforehand?"

"Okay kiddies," Meira interjected, "Let's talk about something that can make us some gold eh?"

"Go ahead then, Let's talk." Said Mahiro.

Kaya listened as Meira went over the details about Calem. He was an incessant bandit leader that would raid merchant caravans that came from Elansfall. She made sure to note just how many times she had the man arrested by the local guard but somehow he always regained numbers no matter how many times Meira had to cut them down and it seemed like he was back at it again. The way she spoke about the man made her wonder if they had a history besides the constant arrests. Meira may be able to read emotional energy but Kaya could tell she had a thing with him once, though she didn't really try hard to hide it.

After what seemed like hours of discussion, the four of them retired to sleep the night away and Kaya somehow found herself having to spoon Meira on the small single bed. She never said anything about spending the night, but by the time they went to sleep, she was too tired to argue. Emika and Mahiro slept on the floor beside each other and only blanketed by the thin sheet that had once been on the bed. They seemed comfortable despite it all and she was glad about that.

They certainly needed a restful sleep because the coming morning they would set off and Kaya had a feeling it was going to be a very long and tiresome day.