Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Archaiphage ❯ Road Trip ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2: Road Trip

Eita managed to spend most of the rest of the week packing and making preparations for the trip. She made out list after list of things that she could not get outside the city and went through several months' allowance buying them. She stood in front of her packed trunks, looking them over. That should be plenty for the trip. There's no way I forgot anything.

Now, there was only the matter of waiting... she still had the entire afternoon free. Chen and the others would be out partying, and Eita thought she should join them. Who knew when she would next be around a social scene larger than a farmer's market? But... well, she wasn't in the mood for celebrating. She sighed... maybe she should head to the library. There had to be something there to do.

There was a knock on the door. "I'll be there in a second," Eita strode over to it and opened it. It was Kuen.

"You're here today. It's been the first time this week," she commented in that soft voice of hers.

"Well, I've been busy," Eita told her. "I've had to get ready."

"Are you bringing all of this stuff?" Kuen looked past her, at the trunks. "How much room will we be having on the cart? I don't think we can manage all of that."

"It's not that much," Eita said defensively. "Only necessities."

"Well, then, all right." Kuen nodded. "Is there any way we could keep that meal together you promised earlier in the week?"

Why not? I don't have anything better to do. "Sure," Eita tried to smile. "Sounds great."

"Great!" Kuen pressed her hands together. "Rystard said he would meet us in the cafeteria."

"Wait a second," Eita paused. "Rystard is coming?" Of all the people I do not want to deal with right now...

Kuen paused, a puzzled look on her face. "Well, yes. Your invitation was for the both of us, remember?"

"I remember. However, when I invite someone to dinner, I expect them to at least behave courteous to me," Eita explained slowly. "Mr. Chini was anything but -- he barely even acknowledged I was in the room with him."

"Really, I think you two just got off on the wrong foot. He's really very nice. Intelligent, too." Kuen smiled nervously. "He wasn't acting nice when I was talking to him."

"Some people just react to people differently," Kuen said slowly. "You are social and friendly, while I just hide. Maybe Rystard likes to pretend they don't exist."

"He's going to be a difficult person to deal with as a coworker then," Eita sighed. "I'm coming, I'm coming... maybe I can beat some sense into the little insect."

"That's not very nice at all, Eita," Kuen told her.

"He's not a nice person," she retorted.

"Well..." Kuen looked at her feet. "He's always been nice to me."

"Well, you know what they say about first impressions..." Eita commented. "Ignoring me when I'm trying to have a polite conversation does not make me inclined to like a person."

"Well, I'm sure he was just busy," Kuen said. "We did catch him while he was working."

"He could have at least told us to come back later," Eita said. "You certainly seem eager to defend Rys. Do you fancy him or something?"

"No, of course not!" Kuen stopped walking, and regarded Eita with a wide-eyed stare.

"What? Liking a man -- even one as obnoxious as Rystard Chini -- is nothing to be ashamed of," Eita said. "You'll probably end up married anyway, so you might as well get used to thinking of men as possible lovers and husbands, Kuen."

"It's not like that, really," Kuen stared at her feet some more. "I just like giving people the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes people don't always show their best face to strangers."

They arrived at the dining hall, a squat building positioned in a central location on the school grounds. Rystard was lounging on the steps in front of it, a book in hand. How in stars is he reading... it's twilight out. He's going to need a pair of eyelenses before he's much older if he keeps this up. Then she noticed the small ball of flame floating above the book, producing enough light to read by. Typical... showing off a double talent... Eita thought in annoyance.

"Hello, Rystard," Kuen said. "Are you ready for dinner?"

"Oh, yes," Rystard said. "I'm starving. Hey, Eita, good to see you."

"A pleasure," Eita replied levelly, without a hint of emotion.

"What's got you all upset? I was only saying hello... Or are you still upset about earlier," Rystard shrugged. "Unless you want to talk about work, don't come to the lab to speak to me."

"Thank you for the message. I'm sure it will be so useful in the future, when we are knee-deep in farm injuries," Eita replied.

"What's got your shift in a knot? I was only trying to be helpful."

"Umm... umm, umm, let's go eat," Kuen said quickly, taking them both by the hands.

They sat at the end of a long table, next to a group of first-year students that seemed quite happy to ignore the upperclassmen. Eita made sure to let Kuen sit across from Rystard.

"So, are you two all ready?" Kuen said.

"Certainly," Eita said. "I'm very organized... I've been making lists of item's I'll need and I finished packing today. What about you?"

"I think I'm ready," Kuen said. "There's so much to think about... I'm a bit overwhelmed."

"What's the big deal?" Rystard asked. "A change of clothing, some personal effects, and our school supplies... I can shove all of that in a box before bed and be ready tomorrow morning."

"You have no concept of what we're getting into," Eita told him. "It's not like you'll be able to walk down to the corner store if you need a change of underclothing."

"And you have no concept of how to travel, unless you're in a coach paid for by your father's money!" Rystard retorted. "We're going to be fitting the three of us, out luggage and the driver in what's probably a farmer's produce cart. We do not have unlimited space for your vanity!"

"My vanity? What about your bookishness? How many books did you have to pack?"

"Ummm.... um, um, can't we just agree to try to pack light?" Kuen was largely unheard by the two students.

"I only brought my textbooks. Unlike you, I haven't filled my trunks with useless things."

"You haven't even seen what I'm bringing!" Eita picked up her used dishes. "That's it... Kuen, it was a pleasure eating with you. I'll see you in the morning. Good night." She turned with a swish of skirts, and walked off.

* * *

Eita made it a point to repack her things after dinner, just to prove Rystard wrong. He didn't seem to notice when she showed up at the stables with one trunk early that morning. "So, where's the cart?" she asked Kuen.

Kuen motioned with her parasol. "It's over there. Um... Eita? Could you try to get along with Rystard? It would make this whole trip easier."

Eita sighed, not sure what to say. When she finally answered, it was in a slow and measured tone. "I'm not making any promises, but I would try to provoke him. If he provokes me, all bets are off." After all, I can just avoid talking to him. It wasn't the best plan for a man she would be working with for several months, at least, but it would do for the present. With any luck, he would find some silly pet project to take up his interest -- those bookish types usually did. Then maybe she wouldn't have to speak to him that often.

"Eeyah," a middle-aged man approached him. His clothing had the patched, worn, practical look that screamed rural to Eita, and he was balding under the straw hat he wore. "Could you ladies move your luggage over to the cart. I want to get in as much traveling as we can while it's still light."

Kuen picked up her trunk and followed the farmer, with Eita close behind her. She heaved her trunk into the back. Eita lifted her own trunk up, struggling to get the large, awkward -- and don't forget heavy -- object up into the cart. "Here, let, me hekp you," Kuen said.

"Thanks." Kuen took the other handle of the trunk, and helped Eita lift it into the cart, next to Rystard's and her own. She's supporting most of the weight... who'd have thought a reed like her could be so strong, Eita mused. She's also hunched over again... she added, watching Kuen walk over to go get Rystard. "Hey, Kuen," she added, aloud. "Did you hurt something helping me with my trunk?"

Kuen looked back. "Er... what?"

"You're all hunched over again. You should have let Rystard or the driver get my trunk."

"What? Oh... oh yes. Ouch, my back," Kuen started rubbing it.

She's a funny little thing... Eita couldn't shake the suspicion that there was more to Kuen than she was letting on. It's probably nothing... I'm better off figuring out a way to pass the time on this ride.

* * *

"I am so sick of seeing crops and grass," Eita sighed. "It's been a week of the same boring scenery."

"We've still got most of the afternoon to go," Rystard told her. "Either get used to it or stare at the floor. If it makes you feel any better, Rotuche is surrounded by light forests."

"It would make me feel better if it were surrounded by a proper city. All this nature..."

"You're lucky you're not a Wood or Earth Mage then," Rystard told her. "Most of them can't stand being cut off from their elements in cities. Haven't you ever been to Oakumo School and Rokito School in Misho? They're even more landscaped and spread out than Chini School. Be thankful you were born at the right time."

"My mother knew full well when an auspicious birthdate and birthtime would be," Eita retorted.

"That's right..." Rystard said. "Most of us can't afford an astrologer to help in that matter."

"My folks worked long and hard for our family's money," Eita said stiffly. "It's not like it was rained on us form the heavens. We're not nobility or anything." She looked around. "Can't this cart move any faster?"

"Sorry, Miss," the driver said. "Old Amcha is going as fast as she can." He indicated the old bay mare pulling the cart.

"Of course," Eita settled back into her spot propped against the side of the cart. "I wish there were a way to travel by magic -- it would probably be faster than this." A bump in the road nearly shook the trunks looks. "And safer, too," she added.

"I don't think we could use magic for that," Kuen said. "It would take far too much energy."

"Figures," Eita said.

"It's not magic, but I was talking to someone from Akaka School... there's a group of Fire and Metal Mages working on using steam to power a cart instead of horses," Rystard ventured.

"Really?" Kuen asked. "How does that work? Doesn't it burn the cart up? And isn't it hot for the passengers?"

"They build the carts out of metal," Rystard explained. "Then they use the steam to drive levers that turn the wheels. And they keep the passengers away from the fire -- which is magically shielded anyway." He shrugged. "Of course I met this student in the Chini infirmary, after a pipe filled with steam exploded in his face. Never said they've gotten all the faults out."

Suddenly, the light grew dim. Eita looked up. Around her, in the corner of her eye, she saw the others do the same.

"What's going on?" the driver wondered. "There's not a cloud in the sky..."

"It's a dragon," Kuen said, a very strange tone in her voice. There wasn't a hint of fear in it, only awe and respect.

"A dragon?" the driver looked around frantically.

"There!" Rystard pointed.

Indeed it was a dragon, a long, serpentine looking creature. Its scales were a deep grey, but seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. It executed an elegant turn in midair, looping back over its long body to head back towards the cart for a closer pass.

Amcha the horse took one look at the large predatory creature heading right towards her and reared up on her hind legs. As she came down, she broke off into a gallop, with her driver screaming obscenities at the dragon, the gods, and life in general, as he desperately tried to calm her down and rein her in. Eita grabbed onto the side of the cart for dear life as it bumped down the road at far faster than she would have liked to go. She caught Kuen chanting under her breath... it sounded like some sort of prayer. On the other side of Kuen, she saw Rystard's lips moving as well. He doesn't seem like a praying type... of course! A spell to calm down the horse. She added her voice to his, elbowing Kuen to do the same.

The spell wouldn't be nearly as effective as it would have with proper preparation and timing -- and not to mention properly executed somatic and written components to go with the verbal. However, it did have the power of three mages behind it. A combination of the spell and sheer exhaustion caused the panicked horse to slow to a walk, out of sight of the dragon. She permitted the driver to stop her. He quickly got out of the cart and unhitched the horse. "She looks all right, aside from being exhausted," he said. "If that cursed dragon doesn't come back and spook her again, we can be ready to go in a couple of hours." He attached a lead rope and lead Amcha over to a patch of grass. "Until then, Master and Misses Mages, I suggest you take a break as well."

Rystard got down, taking a piece of bread from his pocket. He munched it thoughtfully. "Know much about dragons?" he asked his companions.

"Nope... they tend to avoid settlements," Eita said. "Said to be pretty intelligent, though. Which makes me wonder what that one had to get from spooking the horse. Even a tiger or wolf knows that horses don't take well to even their scent. Something really smart, like a dragon, should know that flying close would spook a horse."

"Maybe it wanted to spook the horse," Rystard said.

Eita nodded. She had been thinking much the same thing. "Well, I was wrong to think this ride would be boring," she commented wryly. "Now, what would a dragon want with any of us? It's not like a cow or three would be better eating."

"Well, dragons are smart -- everyone knows that. Maybe it wants to play ko, like in the legends," Rystard said.

Eita raised an eyebrow. "Don't those legends usually involve the human being eaten if he loses?"

Rystard grinned. "Yes, but he gets the dragon's horde if he wins. They usually have all sorts of books."

"Figures you would be interested in books."

"Hey, they are better than money," Rystard said. "Money only lasts until you spend it, but knowledge will last a lifetime."

"That's easy to say when you've never had money," Eita retorted.

"And what makes you say I've never had money?"

"Your last name. You were a Guild orphan, weren't you?"

"Leave that out of it," Rystard growled. "Maybe I wasn't lucky enough to be born to a prosperous Ferinan merchant family, like you were, Little Miss Rich Girl, but I'm not ashamed of my upbringing."

"Then why are you getting so angry? It sounds like someone is getting defensive."

"I'm just sick of spoiled brats like you that assume that because I didn't grow up playing with nobles' kids that I'm somehow lower than you."

"I'm not spoiled!" Eita stood up, her hands clenched into fists.

"Oh yeah?" Rystard laughed. "You're standing in the shadow of yourself then."

"Why you...." Eita paused. Something was off about this... "Hey, where's Kuen?" she asked looking around. "She hasn't tried to stop us from fighting yet."

"She's gone..." Rystard started looking around. He muttered a curse. "Where did she get to?"

"We better go look for her. We don't want her to be stuck as a bored dragon's ko partner or something."

After telling the driver what happened -- which didn't take very long as apparently he had been listening in on their argument -- Eita and Rystard started walking. "Now, if I were a quiet healer intern, where would I go?" Rystard wondered aloud.

"She went to look for the dragon," Eita said.

"And why do you think that? Kuen's got more sense than to go looking for trouble."

"Did you hear how she sounded when she saw it? There wasn't any fear. Only awe," Eita said. "She wears an Orihan icon pinned to her collar... I thought they thought dragons were the servants of Mefisem-Tuke."

"The Cult of Orihan think everything magical is a servant of Mefisem-Tuke," Rystard commented bitterly. "Demons, vampires, dragons, other deities and spirits, mages..."

"Mages?" Eita gave him a puzzled look. "But... we can't really help when we are born... What do they do when a child is born under a planet and has the planet's gift?"

"Well, if it's only the Moon, everything's fine -- the child is seen has having 'Orihan-Chini's gift' and is encouraged to join the priesthood or a religious order. If they happen to have another planet's gift... well, if they are lucky, their parents are kind and leave them at a monastery or nunnery to teach them how to suppress their magic. If they're unlucky... well, sometimes you find children's corpses in the woods, if the animals don't get them first." He sped up, heading for a nearby hill.

Rystard... it isn't a Ferinan name and he doesn't look like he was born here either. I wonder if he could be Iyaran... Eita tried to think about what little she knew about Iyar. Well, it borders Ferina to the north and east... come to think about it, we're pretty close to their border now. The state religion is the Cult of Orihan... I know mages were warned off from going there. If Rystard was born there... with his dual talent, it's no wonder he's a Guild orphan. How did he make it across the border then...

"Hey, Kaketoor... you going to climb this hill or what?" Rystard yelled at her. He was standing on the crest of the hill, looking back at her.

"I'm working on it," Eita sped up to join him. "That's it... that's Kuen... and the dragon... what in Heaven and Earth is she doing with it?"

"Looks like talking..." Rystard said.

"Talking..." Eita said incredulously. "Talking... well, I always thought she was a bit startouched, but this is too much."

"There might be an explanation," Rystard said. "She's still alive and here..."

"I don't think so..." Eita told him. "Her feet don't touch the floor anymore. We can't deal with a dragon. What do you talk to a dragon about?" Rystard shrugged. "Anyway," Eita continued, "I say we leave her. If she works her way free, fine. If not, we can't do anything for her."

Rystard gave her a dirty look. "For an intern healer, you're certainly a calculating demon."

"Says the researcher... isn't that a case of the Sun calling the Moon bright."

"I don't leave my coworkers to face problems alone," Rystard informed her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lady to rescue from a dragon." He walked off towards the unlikely conversation.

Eita sighed. "This is stupid, this is stupid, why in Heaven and Earth am I following these two idiots then?"

Kuen turned around as the two approached. "Rystard! Eita! What are you two doing here?"

"We're looking for you," Rystard said. "If you are going to wander off, tell someone where you are going."

/So these are your friends, peidiphos? Curious...\ The voice was coming from the dragon. It wasn't spoken, though. More like felt, the way a sudden breeze is felt.

Kuen nodded. "These are my friends and coworkers, Rystard Chini and Eita Kaketoor. Rystard, Eita, this is Thielos Rotuchel."

Thielos, the dragon, courteously dipped his head. /A pleasure to meet you all.\

Rystard eyed him suspiciously. "Forgive me for sounding rude, but what did you think you were doing, spooking our horse like that?"

/I'm afraid you'll have to forgive me... I am not used to dealing with those of the Mortal Species. It came to my attention that a group of Creative Mages were passing through the area, and I desperately need those services.\

"You look fine to me," Rystard said. "Of course, for all I know, you could be dying."

/It's not me, it's my chiera, my Hand.\

Rystard eyed the dragon's clawed forelegs. "Your... hand?"

"I don't think the chiera is that hand," Eita said slowly. "That doesn't sound right. It's a person, isn't it?"

/Correct. It's. Well, it's complicated. Would you care to return home with me to discuss it further?\

"Just a second..." Rystard turned towards the group. "All right," he said softly. "On the one hand, we have a duty to a patient to check this out. On the other, who in their right mind goes walking willingly into a dragon's lair?"

"We can trust him," Kuen said. "Trust me on this one."

"I don't know what folktales you had when you were growing up, but the ones I heard seemed to imply that this would be a stupid idea."

"It occurs to me that, if the dragon wanted to, he could just bully us in," Eita said.

"Maybe he needs us to go willingly," Rystard countered.

"Whatever you two decide, I'm going. It's my duty as a healer to help the needy," Kuen turned back towards Thielos. "I'm not sure about my friends, but I'm going. Show me the way."

Rystard sighed. "I'm not letting you go alone."

This is insane but... "Might as well bring the full group," Eita added. If we die, I'm making sure to be reincarnated as something that drive Kuen's next life to distraction.

/All of you then? Excellent!\ Thielos turned. /Follow me.\ He led them to a blackened tree. It looked like it had been struck with lighting... possibly on several occasions. The ground around it was bare of grass. /Here.\

"Here?" Rystard asked.

Thielos raised a foreleg and clawed the air. An opening appeared in the air in front of the tree, showing a staircase -- well wide and tall enough for the dragon -- leading down. /Here. Now follow me.\ He started to descend the staircase, Kuen following in an almost trancelike state. Eita and Rystard shrugged and turned as one to follow the two down into the ground.