Ash
Upon waking up, the first thing Ash noticed was that the bed she'd gone to sleep in was empty. She yawned, stretching and shielding her eyes from the sun coming in from her left. Everyone's up already? She wondered. Fuck, what ti is it?
The half-demon walked out and heard Kaori, Keiko, Satsuhiro, and the others talking in the living room. She walked to it, groggy and still a little sleepy.
"Rise and shine," tsumi said. Everyone was having breakfast at the kitchen table. Ash saw Keiko and Kaori sitting next to each other on the right, Opah, Satsuhiro, and tsumi all on the left. Ash sat between them all, at the center. "Want coffee?"
"Sure," Ash replied. The Iron Stomach trait only prevented negative effects from eating, so she was still going to feel the buzz from the coffee. She figured she could use it.
Satsuhiro passed her a sheet of paper.
"What's this?"
"Our next stop," Satsuhiro replied. "Onyx."
And just like that, Ash understood that their break would be coming to an end soon.
"What's happening there?" Ash asked, not bothering to read it.
"A few stray demons have been causing trouble. Council wants us, or rather, you, to go clear any out. Along the way," Satsuhiro added, "we may as well get that last Site of Power activated."
"Right," Ash nodded. "When are we leaving?"
"That's up to you," he looked over at Kaori and Keiko. "I know you're all still recovering, so, as soon as you're willing and able, we go."
"Could..." Kaori said. "Could we keep the break going for just a little longer?"
"Sure," Satsuhiro shrugged. Ash looked over at her and saw relief wash over her face.
"Sothing you wanna do?" Ash asked, curious.
"Yeah," Kaori nodded. "I wanted to go visit my parents again. Check on them again before we head out. There's no telling when we'll co back, right?"
"Ideally, we'd only be there a few days. Maybe a week at the most, but yeah," Satsuhiro said. "You're right. Anything could happen."
"Okay," Ash took a mug full of coffee that tsumi passed her. Taking a sip, she found it to be a bit sweet but good all around. "In that case..." Ash trailed off.
"Mhm?" Satsuhiro humd.
"I think I'll take a walk around today," she stated. "There's soone I'd like to see."
"Oh?" Kaori smirked. "An old girlfriend?"
"Hmph," Ash scoffed, "co on, you know I never did anything like that before you."
"Like what?" Opah asked from beside Satsuhiro and Kaori chuckled.
"Nothing, kid," Ash said. "Anyway, yeah, it's just... an old friend. So, yeah, I'll be walking a bit."
"Alright," Satsuhiro nodded. "A few more days then?" He asked the group. Keiko, Kaori, and Ash all nodded. "Okay."
---
The rest of the morning went by fairly quickly, with everyone taking turns getting bathed and Ash stepping out of the house first. She wore a long-sleeved black shirt with white buttons and black pants as she walked out into the Spirit Garden's District.
So... She thought. Where would he be?
The half-demon walked through the streets then, looking for a certain annoying old monk.
Above her, on the white stone buildings, the golden banners of Jade rippled with the wind. For a second, Ash stopped to look up at them. It felt so strange, knowing she was now a representative of this city, of the realm, essentially, as a Savior. Those golden banners were her own, and, whether she liked the city or not, her actions were helping to keep her surroundings as pristine as they were.
But, she knew it all to be half of the experience. One type of the lives that Jade's citizens could lead. The other was the one she had. Hot, burning streets, starvation, dirty looks, casual assaults, people spitting on her. That was the other side of Jade, the less pretty side.
Looking around, she saw a few holess citizens. People she'd known about. Not exactly individuals she ever called her friends, but others who shared her struggles. And now, here she was, a league above them.
She stared hard at one, a sickly old man asleep on the sidewalk, covered in nothing but tattered clothes. That would have been her if she hadn't started this journey. However, as she later passed by the mausoleum where the bodies of Saviors long-dead were kept, the one the sa monk she was looking for had shown her last ti they saw each other, she saw that place as what she still could be.
Nothing more than a soldier who died for a world she didn't even believe in.
Shaking her head, she tried to focus again on what she was doing. This was a gamble, honestly. Ash had no reason to believe the old man wouldn't be asleep or ditating in so small building. She was simply hoping that he wasn't. However, she did have one place in mind where there was so likelihood he could be. The place where he would often take her out to eat.
She walked to the Public Square. A few of the guards must have recognized her as a Savior because they glanced at her with awed expressions. Ash wished she could appreciate those, but the tis where they'd literally kick her away from the nicer streets in the city were still too fresh in her mind for that. Ash ignored everyone around her, and instead looked for one little stall. One selling paper-wrapped salads.
Here, she saw an old man sitting on a stool. He wore a brown robe and so slippers, and Ash swore that he looked even older now than he used to. Now that she saw him, so many mories ca to her that Ash felt so small amount of regret.
She hadn't understood it then, but looking back, this might have been the first one to treat Ash like an actual person and not a demon. Kairo felt her glance and turned to look at her.
Shit, I was so stupid back then, Ash thought, taking a deep breath as she approached him. She didn't even know what to say.
Kairo, who had been enjoying so soup, put his bowl down and smiled.
"The wayward soul has found her way back to the city? Albeit temporarily, I assu."
"... Yeah," Ash nodded.
"Well. Care to join an old man for a quick al?" He asked.
Ash nodded.
"Mhm."
"..." Kairo watched her take a seat next to him and he suddenly started laughing.
"Hm?" Ash raised a brow.
"You are... you seem like a completely different person to the half-demon I spoke to before," Kairo said.
"I just got here, give a few minutes, I'll still annoy the shit out of you," Ash responded.
"Don't need to," Kairo laughed again. "This version of you contrasts with your past so heavily, your aura is almost blinding to witness."
"Well, I do dress a little nicer now, I guess."
"No. You could be dressed in the sa urine-soaked clothes you used to wear, and the differences would still show," Kairo shook his head. "It's in your posture, how your back is slightly straighter, prouder. It's in your brows. Before, they used to spend all their ti together, furrowed, angry. Now, your entire face is loose. It's in your hands," he continued, not even looking at her at this point. "They stay by your side, calm. Before, they were almost always clenched, asking for a fight. See?" Kairo asked. "But, yes. I suppose not being covered in urine would also make soone seem a little different."
Ash shook her head, chuckling.
"Fuck... This feels nostalgic."
"I see that colorful language hasn't changed," he chuckled. "So then, Savior, what brings you here?"
"Ugh, don't call that," Ash muttered. "To everyone out there I'm either the half-demon or the Savior. You know my na."
"Alright then. Ash," he corrected. "What brings you here?"
Ash looked away.
"Just... Felt like I should apologize," Ash said.
"Hm?"
"I don't know, for treating you like shit. I uh... I realize, fuck, this is embarrassing," Ash cleared her throat. "I realize you were just... Trying to help and all. So, yeah, sorry."
"Eloquent."
"Fuck you," Ash scoffed and Kairo laughed.
"There's no need for an apology, Ash. Your personality especially is not sothing you should ever apologize for. It's what makes you, well, you. Though, I guess I would appreciate it if you covered for ," he said, gesturing at the cook in front of them. Ash nodded, chuckling.
"Yeah, I got you."
"Once you're done paying, could you accompany sowhere?"
"Sure," Ash didn't even bother asking where. She had co to see him, after all.
---
He ended up taking her to a small church, belonging to Lumina. The building itself was barely as big as the houses that neighbored it. They walked in and Ash saw a 76cm tall statue of the goddess. In front of it were two rows of benches and a carpeted floor. Kairo walked forwards first and Ash walked after him.
"So, uh," Ash started, "don't get wrong, I did co to apologize and all, but I'm not looking to be converted."
"Ha! No, no," Kairo shook his head as he sat down at one of the benches. "I only took you here because this place is calm. I figured it would allow us to talk more comfortably."
"Alright," Ash sat next to him.
"In truth," Kairo said, "there is... sothing I believe I should tell you."
"Well, go ahead."
"... Do you rember how we t?" Kairo asked.
"Mhm," Ash nodded. She still hadn't forgotten. "I was begging, and you walked up and spouted so philosophical bs at ."
"Hmph," Kairo snorted. "Very true. Well, if I'm being honest," he started. "That wasn't the first ti I saw you."
"... Yeah," Ash nodded. "You told you'd seen begging before, right?"
"Well, yes, but that's not what I an," Kairo sighed. "I an that many years ago, this church used to be ho to many Lumina followers in the city. As the Church of Magia gained more and more prominence under Varcon's leadership though, Lumina's followers found themselves seeking other cities where their worship was more popular. Most found their place in Pearl, but that's beside the point. The point is, one family that used to co was your own."
At that, Ash's lips parted and her eyes widened.
"That was how I first ca to know of you. Through your parents."
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