[???]: "Well—? Are you gonna answer me or stand there and ogle?"
Lyra's shoulder slumped and she slowly walked over to where the woman pointed her to be. Meanwhile, Hoshi was looking around the environment with a keen eye, and he could feel the gaze of the mysterious girl who was still standing at the entrance of another room. Rowan sighed and slumped in a chair, his eyes closing and the grip on his sword easing slightly.
The room was dimly lit and Hoshi could see a few chairs scattered around along with empty bags that had bits of food still left inside. The fact that this group was hidden away underground and had a secret entrance made Hoshi all the more suspicious of where he actually was. Still, he had some faith that Lyra had a good reason for bringing him here, maybe he was needed.
[???]: "My name is—Tomoe…"
The sudden voice startled Hoshi, it sounded quiet in a way that opposed Lyra's brash and loud tone. Hoshi turned around to see the girl from earlier, holding out a small bag which Hoshi could've guessed was some food. Her hands were small and she avoided eye contact, but the hospitality she offered was…nice, to say the least.
He took the food and opened up to see some strangle looking spheres filling the bag to the brim. It smelled familiar enough, so he threw one into the air and began to chew.
This tastes like…potato chips, but in ball-form?
[Hoshi] "They're good, thanks for the food…"
[Tomoe]: "No problem, um—can you tell me your name? I don't think Lyra ever mentioned a white-haired friend…"
Something was itching at him to lower his guard and be a little friendlier, considering how Tomoe seemed like the least hostile person he's ever seen in both of his lives. Hoshi's shoulders relaxed a bit and he put the bag on a nearby wooden table, which looked like it'd seen much better days.
[Hoshi]: "My name is Hoshi, it's nice to meet you."
For the first time, Tomoe smiled and Hoshi felt his heart flutter a bit at the sight. He subconsciously felt a little worried that he looked intimidating considering his worn down appearance and seemingly guarded mind, but it seemed like Tomoe didn't mind at all.
[Tomoe]: "It's nice to meet you too, so…um, I assume you don't know where you are? You look lost."
Hoshi's cheeks reddened a bit, did he really look like some lost puppy that needed guidance? Nevermind that, Tomoe wasn't entirely wrong since he could still hear that scary woman and Lyra arguing from the room nearby, and it was clear they were having a disagreement over him.
[Hoshi]: "You got me, what is this place exactly? And why are you guys so far away from Vaelgard?"
Tomoe's face slightly fell at the mention of Vaelgard, and Hoshi could immediately tell that something about that place bothered her. He didn't press the issue though, since he knew some things were better left unsaid…
Why haven't I told them I'm from another world…
The thought crossed his mind before he shut it down immediately. The whole point of this new life was to rewrite the wrongs of his old one, mentioning he was from another world would only put him in the spotlight, which was exactly where he didn't want to be. Tomoe looked at the door where Lyra and the woman were still arguing, and she bit her lip nervously.
[Tomoe]: "We call ourselves the Rebel Squad, and our leader is that woman with the armor, Alkia."
[Hoshi]: "Rebel squad…that makes sense. Earlier I saw a boy get nabbed and beaten by a bunch of guards for stealing. He was just trying to feed his family…"
Tomoe nodded solemnly, having seen her own fair share of injustice from Vaelgard. She hesitantly put a hand on Hoshi's shoulder to comfort him, and Rowan peeked at the sight through hooded eyes.
[Tomoe]: "It's okay—don't blame yourself for that, I know it's hard to watch but it's just the way things are."
The way things are…I hate that phrase.
There were a lot of things Hoshi Saito hated in his life, but most of all was fate. The idea that things were written in stone, that no amount of effort or work could change an outcome. His summer goals reflected that, in his resolutions to change himself for the following school year, but it seemed like life had other plans for him. It was his own fault, really, as he chose to save that family.
Hoshi was about to open his mouth when Alkia burst through the door and nearly made Hoshi jump out of his skin. Lyra stood behind her, her face a bit red from the exertion of arguing for the last few minutes. Alkia stomped over and looked down at Hoshi, her towering figure making her all the more intimidating.
[Alkia]: "You—with me, now."
Before he could object, Alkia yanked him back into the room she and Lyra were previously in and slammed the door shut. She released her iron grip on Hoshi's arm and sat down on a chair, setting her sword beside her with a loud clank. Behind her was a large map that scaled the entire wall, with locations half of which Hoshi couldn't say the names to.
[Alkia]: "Well? Who are you really, Hoshi Saito? Lyra tells me she's never seen you in Vaelgard, that you yourself can't even name where you're from."
[Hoshi]: "I-I can't remember…"
Alkia grunted and tapped her finger impatiently on the sheath of her sword. To the outside world, Hoshi Saito was a nobody, a mysterious figure who entered the world with no history and no memory of his origin. And yet, somehow he'd gained the trust of Lyra, who saw that spark of defiance when he wanted to save that boy. The same fire resided in the Rebel squad, and Alkia wanted proof.
[Alkia]: "So you can't remember where you're from, and yet Lyra brought you here. She trusted you with something bigger than all of us, it took me years to form this squad."
[Hoshi]: "I'm not asking you to trust me—"
[Alkia]: "I don't trust you, not at all. However, since Lyra brought you here, I might as well make use of you. Everyone! Get in here for a meeting!"
Lyra and Tomoe entered at the same time, and Rowan dragged himself inside seconds later. Tomoe looked to Hoshi, who was still a little startled from Alkia's intensity, and Lyra gave him a few reassuring pats on the back.
[Alkia]: "Now…as most of us know, Vaelgard's guard activity has been getting stronger and more active ever since our raids on their supply chains. They know we exist now, and that's a problem. Our reconnaissance has shown that they've moved most of their supplies, like medicine and food, here."
She took a small blade from her belt and stabbed it into the wall, right into a building located in the Kingdom of Vaelgard. It was surrounded by tiny red dots which symbolized guards and where they were spotted, and near it was a prison of some-sort. It was risky, since the building happened to be close enough to the main building where the King resided, and if anyone saw the Rebel Squad trying to steal food, they could have an army summoned on them in minutes.
[Rowan]: "How the hell are we supposed to get through there, place must be a damn gold mine if that many guards are stationed there."
[Lyra]: "That's an understatement—Alkia, this is too risky. We'll need to divert the guards' attention somehow, and steal the food quickly."
[Alkia]: "Nope, that won't work. The guards are gonna easily spot us if all of us go, so the plan is to split up. Tomoe can walk whoever's sent through with her Relay Magic."
[Hoshi]: "Relay what-now…?"
[Tomoe]: "It's an ability that lets me communicate with those who consider me an ally, and that I consider an ally…"
Okay…magic is a thing, not too shocked considering Lyra and Alkia can lift those huge weapons like they're made of paper.
[Rowan]: "Power's kinda creepy if you ask me—"
[Lyra]: "Rowan! Not the time for jokes, and also…how are we supposed to get in? Stealth isn't really the best option here."
Alkia nodded in agreement, as stealth with this much patrol around was a one-way-ticket to the prison. However, Alkia wasn't stupid, and she knew that to get into Vaelgard…she would need to use every person at her disposal. Everyone's eyes shifted to Alkia's rising blade as she pointed the sheathed-tip to Hoshi.
[Hoshi]: "E-Eh?! Me? What am I supposed to do? I don't have magic…"
[Alkia]: "That can be fixed later, I'm not talking about your magic. I need you. Your lack of identity in Vaelgard makes you the perfect person to get us in there. Hayabe Village needs us, it's where we send refugees and the homeless whenever we can."
[Tomoe]: "But that's dangerous! We can't just send a newbie on a mission like that, he needs time…"
[Rowan]: "Hate to say it, but maybe holding off on this guy is the right call. We don't even know if he's got the guts…"
While everyone was beginning to argue, Hoshi's mind stayed relatively blank. Did he have the guts? Was it the best option to stay here, where he was safe? His hand curled into a fist as he resisted the urge to run away from all the commotion, he could feel his anxiety rising. But then—his voice came in a torrent, a pure declaration of resolve as he spoke the words he so wanted to say.
[Hoshi]: "Enough—! I'll do it! I'll do my best…that's all I can give."
Everyone was silent, and the only sounds that could be heard was Hoshi's delayed breaths as his stomach churned and twisted. Alkia got up, and placed her hand on top of Hoshi's head. She ruffled up his hair and showed a rare sign of what could be considered affection, a little upward smile.
[Alkia]: "Then it's settled—we need to plan. The people of Hayabe will thank you, Hoshi Saito…"
With that, it was settled and done, Hoshi would be the Rebel Squad's newest addition on their mission to get supplies from the Kingdom of Vaelgard. Despite his lack of experience, and power…Alkia could feel something deep inside Hoshi Saito's being. It wasn't much, but the potential of it was…mesmerizing, to say the least. She would have to watch him grow, to see just what he was capable of.
Somewhere else.
She spun the globe around, and her chin rested in the palm of her other hand. In a realm far away from Hoshi Saito's rebirth, she stared at the golden light that seemed to shine over everything else. Her finger gently traced the light and a small laugh escaped her mouth.
With a body made of fire and light, it was easy to forget this woman had a personality, as she was considered more of a force of nature. The realm she stayed in was still the endless body of water it had always been, since the dawn of time itself. And yet—in that empty world, her hope shone through in the form of the spark she's stared at since its appearance.
[???]: "Helping the people of Hayabe…that's always been like you."