Chapter 13: New Wounds, Same Old Person
The open wounds stung as the flesh where he caught the bolt mangled. If he didn't treat it quickly it would grow infected as Riné felt a familiar tiredness.
'I almost wanted to kill him. It would have been an easier solution but I- I don't want to become a person like that.'
Ripping some fabric from his sleeve he wrapped it around his wounded hand as he planned to leave. He could talk to the others later, the burden of the second core along with the narrow escape from exposure by Holless exhausted any social battery he had today after the exam.
'I'm tired, the room I rented should do for just a night before I move into the dorms.'
Leaving the housing building where Keth and the others were staying without so much as a word. He didn't want to explain much about anything to himself or the wound and where Holless went choosing to abandon them as he wandered around the streets tracing the address he had remembered. The streets were a different world from what Riné had seen back in the Kapsuet. The roads weren't of dirt and gravel but rather concrete and the houses not of wood but brick and much taller and larger fitting more people and offering more space. If Riné wasn't a clan heir then he would probably be stunned however since he lived in a large building with large walls and buildings made by wattle and daub, he was used to modern building techniques. However, as he passed through the streets, he smelled smoke as people crowded the streets. The area where his one-room hotel was located was currently in a blaze as firefighter mages approached using water and extinguishing magic to put it out, Riné raised both of his hands to his face disappointed and tired only to feel a sting, forgetting his gashed hand, gashed arm, and exhaustion he had no choice left now.
Knock, Knock.
Riné knocked on the door where Keth's apartment was after returning from his attempted abandonment. Listening closely he heard someone step out of bed.
"Who is at this time of night?"
Opening the door Keth looked down to see the tired Riné as he attempted to slam the door shut refusing what he knew would be an annoying request.
'One night is all I'll stay I won't be a bother I can promise you that.'
"One night."
Riné caught the door with one hand before prying it open with a dead serious expression accidently making a threat. Keth responded in full by gently removing Riné's fingers lifting them by their sides and placing them outside, then gently closing their door.
Riné felt rejected and at a loss as he needed a place to stay. He had no money, no idea where the others were, and no clue where to go so he needed a place to stay for the night.
'No!, I don't like sleeping outside! Guess I'll have to use my second deadliest skill. Deception.'
Keth turned around from the door before he heard scratching at his door similar to that of a cat. Feeling a migraine approaching he opened the door violently as Riné took the opportunity to run inside and make his way into the living room only to be caught and lifted by his collar by Keth
"Not so fast I already have guests I don't need one more."
Riné turned his head inquisitively toward the living room to where Kairi and Mime were sleeping. Mime took the couch while Kairi was on the floor. Mime was sleeping in a wild position with his feet in the air and his body leaning over on the side of the couch. Kairi however had a pillow and blanket as they slept on the ground. The two were knocked out asleep as Keth had his room for himself and that was the limit of his patience. Riné however began to make pleading eyes as he lifted his hands to his face pretending to be a puppy.
'Whenever I did this, the Master would always lose to this seduction!'
Riné's uses puppy doll eyes!
Keth squinted as he held Riné up as he was insanely confused by what the other was doing.
It failed!
As Riné was about to be thrown out once again he began to earnestly plead.
"Wait! We can bargain!"
"Do you have money?"
Riné looked down at his pockets. Absolutely empty. He had one thing he could give him more or less teach.
"No but don't you want to be a honor program student?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't take disciples because it's a very close connection but I will impart training to others and Mime will need someone to match him. I'll take you and train you along with Mime to get you into the honor program."
'That's right. If the Kapsuet higher-ups could discard me then it's best if I get myself connections that will allow me to stand up for myself. An investment now that will pan to proportions later.'
Riné steeled himself to survive in this foreign land. Even in the worst situations a Seeker steps forward in conflict and for Riné he had his own plans to survive and thrive while others planned to use him.
"That? For just a night's rest?"
Keth was skeptical of this proposition as he placed down Riné and closed his door. The two stood in the doorway cramped together as Riné looked up with confidence
"Plus some little stuff but yes."
Riné didn't appear to be joking when Keth observed his expression as he yawned. It was late he didn't have enough time for this as he grumbled whilst returning to his room for the night.
'I'll take that as a yes but…'
Turning his head toward the living room where the two slept and the kitchen where dirty dishes were piled and the floor was grimy he had a decision to make.
'Where do I sleep?'
The kitchen was disqualified instantly and when Riné stepped toward the couch Mime adjusted in his sleep taking it all up fully. The only option was the ground as Riné's core fully took Mimes pillow somehow not causing the other to wake up before he lay down in the ground next to Kairi. Looking up at the ceiling the dreariness and exhaustion hit all at once. How long had it been since he was able to get a good night's sleep without watching out for his back? Surrounded by friendly faces Riné slept well. Maybe it was a good day for him.
At Keth's house, what began as a sleepover ended at the same time due to an unfortunate series of events. Kairi was the first as when he woke up feeling pain in his back from the rough ground he sat up before stretching.
"Hopefully student dorms are better than this.."
As he attempted to straighten his back to no success he placed his arms to the floor before feeling something soft with his palm.
'S-soft? On this hard floor?'
As he squeezed he heard the movement of something lying next to him before he looked down. It was a sleeping Riné! His palm was on Riné's face where he quickly removed it.
"Eh?!?"
The confused Kairi released a short noise which caused Riné to awake before jumping up wielding a saber.
"What-what's going on!"
As Riné woke up in a panic reacting to the sudden noise Mime fell over onto the ground face-first.
"Ow! Oh, what could ever be going on in the morning to be this loud…"
The three quickly settled themselves as Keth opened his door in his pajamas. The four all had bed hair as they each sat down to have a meager breakfast of oats and yogurt. Riné was the first to speak up surprisingly.
"Why are you all staying here?"
Mime and Kairi looked at each other before Kairi explained to the two.
"We came here for the exam to begin with and since we hardly had any money we needed a place to stay so we managed to convince Keth to let us stay."
"We begged."
"Alright begging is an overstatement we simply asked for a favor."
"No you two begged I remember Mime hugging my leg with tears."
"I didn't cry."
As Riné toyed with his spoon not even eating it he simply listened to them. The conversation was very comical to him it was something new. Sharing a meal with friends for the first time. As he placed the spoon into his mouth the yogurt mixed in with oats was quite delicious as the two fused dry with wet, sweet and crunchy.
'Mmm!'
While Riné ate at a quick pace he was interjected by Kairi who was a bit confused about last night.
"So about yesterday, what happened?"
Rine almost choked on the spoon before he cleared his bite and swallowed. He had no choice but to obscure the facts about what happened.
"Holless and I had a talk and he left afterwards."
Kairi though looked concerned as he continued.
"That wasn't what I was worried over."
'Oh. This attack was far worse than previous ones it must appear critical.'
"I'm-…"
Riné thought over it stopping as he didn't know how to cover it up. He obviously couldn't tell the truth however he had to lie convincingly however it felt odd telling a bald-faced lie to his friends.
"Faint of heart."
The others didn't say a word. To Riné this felt gut-wrenching whether or not they loved him meant he would be seen differently.
'It'll always be like this right? Since the beginning until the end, we'll have to live like this.'
"Master Riné is faint of heart awe that sucks…"
Mime placed his hand on Keth's shoulder toss he held a depressed expression while Keth backed away. Riné however snapped out of his episode as he was offended.
"Don't call me master."
Mime was taken aback as he pulled on Keth's arm.
"Keth our master is rejecting us we have to do something!"
Keth was outraged at this sentiment as he became flustered.
"Our master? How do you even know that!? Besides he isn't my master!"
"I may or may not have overheard bits of your conversation last night. So I guess we're students under the same teacher."
"I'm not his student."
"I second that."
"Don't worry Shifu. I'll discipline this junior disciple to respect you."
"Wait I don't understand I want to join in! Don't leave me out!"
"There's nothing to join in on! Riné is only showing me some pointers!"
"Junior Brother control your tone!"
"Stop calling yourselves my students!"
The house was rowdy that day but Riné didn't mind.
——
In the darkness of the night two figures gathered at a back street one was a young male in a trench coat while the other a old man sitting at a table short his hair faded with bald spots. Not a single wrinkle on his face as he wore a black suit that hid him in the dark.
"The preliminary results on the investigation of Riné Verocai how did they come out?"
"Thats the thing sir, nothing has come out of it. Whoever his backer is seems to hold real power and is using it to thwart any effort to investigate him. We've confirmed he's a non-Daelk citizen but-"
"That's enough. Send the results to the hounds at Civil Peace. If they get any hint of blood or danger they'd hunt him down."
"Yes sir!"