Chapter Text
Peace and quiet were rare in Eisen.
Grime intended to enjoy every second of it.
With beer in one hand and cheese in the other, the captain of the knight guard had just settled into his sofa when heavy footsteps thundered down the corridor.
The doors flew open.
He barely had time to swallow before choking.
“GRIME! I’ll be staying at your house from now on!”
An angry young Avian girl stood at the doorway, declaring it like a royal decree.
“Sasha?! What are you doing here?” Grime asked.
“I said I would live here!” Sasha replied bluntly. Despite the room’s spacious entrance, her oversized wings barely fit as she stepped inside.
Grime set his beer down, confusion fading into concern.
“Sasha, what happened? Why so sudden? What do your parents say about—”
“I DON’T CARE WHAT THOSE TWO THINK!”
Grime paused.
“Even if I disappear, I’m sure they won’t even notice.” Sasha said, staring at the floor, her fists clenched and trembling.
“...”
Grime frowned. He had known the Waybright family for years. He understood their temperament all too well.
He sighed. Troublesome… but first things first.
“All right. You can stay here as long as you want. As for your parents, I’ll handle it later.”
He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. Sasha leaned into the touch.
After a moment, she lifted her head, looking slightly apologetic.
“Thank you, Grime… and sorry for causing trouble.”
Before she could finish, Grime laughed, patting her head harder and giving her a few firm smacks on the back.
“Hahaha! Relax! You can always count on your trusted uncle!”
Sasha’s melancholy face had relaxed a bit and endured a slight smile. Fortunately, she still had someone like Grime by her side, like he always was. Otherwise, she didn’t know who to turn to. The place that once was home no longer did.
Just like that, 3 months had passed since Sasha came to live with Grime. He talked to her parents to let her live here as his apprentice. This was not a rare activity among the nobles and clans. They will send their children to another family they trust to train from an early age.
The Waybrights easily accept Grime offer, which made Grime somewhat uncomfortable. This is because they trust Grime, or because they don’t care about their daughter. He hoped it was the first guess.
Sasha’s mood was also somewhat better. She seems better, but that was all. Sasha only practiced her sword with Grime every day and followed him to learn to be less bored. Neither happy nor sad mood.
_______
“This situation can’t last! She needs a friend." Grime sighed as he put the beer down on the table and leaned back on the sofa.
Beatrix sat opposite, taking a sip of beer. She did not predict a session of confessing when she decided to hang with her bro today. She herself was no expert on these matters. The Berserk family was always as straight as a horse’s guts and simple mind toad.
“Let’s take her down the street to play." Beatrix brought up the first idea that came to mind.
"Hm?" Grime raised his eyebrows.
“Just hanging around in the house with the training area is boring!" Beatrix said and chugged down the remaining beer.
“Besides, she might find a friend in the process of it! There are things you can’t give her as a friend can.”
“Yes! Nice idea. These days, I’m so busy, so I don’t think about letting her go out. A friend is what Sasha really needs.” Grime grinned.
"All right, I’m taking Sasha out now!" Grime said, then stood up and rushed out the door.
“Hey what’s up?! You leave your sister alone? I came all the way here to visit, and you treated me like this?!” Beatrix shouted at Grime but did nothing to stop him from leaving.
“Take a barrel of premium beer from my cellar as an apology." The old toad shouted back from the corridor and disappears.
After searching for a while.
He found Sasha practicing her sword on the mansion’s grounds. Without an excess of movement, he snatches her up before Sasha could process what just had happened.
“Grime, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?!!"
Grime carried her on his shoulder and excitedly replied, “We’re going down the street. There’s a weekend market. It’s going to be fun!”
“WHAT???” Sasha screamed.
Soon Sasha was in the middle of the market. The shopping street was abuzz with a crowd of people, making it exceptionally bustling. Eisen is one of the biggest cities in Amphibia, so it attracted many traders and migrants flocking to this place seeking for opportunities.
That leading to the birth of an incredibly diverse species and rich culture melting pot. And it applied to their market goods as well. Especially on a weekend market. But Sasha doesn’t seem to be interested.
“Why did you bring me here for?” She asked.
“It’s not good for you to just do sword training all the time. There’s more thing for you to discover." Grime said with a big smile, hand reaching out to the busy market.
“Such as? “She tilted her head, raised one eyebrow, and looked at Grime with uninterested eyes.
“Uh… shopping, trying food, sight-seeing…. visiting the weapon shop! And who knows… what if you can make friends!!" Grime listing out several things on his fingers, emphasizing the last with a big smile.
“I’m fine. I have friends!" Sasha said with a sigh.
“Not here! Here, you only have this old uncle and a bunch of soldiers at the training ground." Grime rebutted bluntly.
“Braddock and Percy are enough! Kids are annoying!" Sasha scoffed and auguring.
“You’re a kid too! So what does that make you?" Grime asked.
“Hey! I’m not! Take it back!" Sasha stomped the ground. Her wings fluttering, like a cranky, adorable little bird.
“No." Grime coldly replied.
“Urkk~~!!"
“Sigh… come on, Birdy! Just try it!" Grime softens his voice and genuinely asks, his face full of worry and it makes Sasha feel kind of guilty. At last, she groaned and finally give up.
“Fine! I’ll try!”
“Excellent! Now, let go get some snack." Grime widens his smile and hurry a head to a snack stall. Sasha lazily follows him behind.
To Sasha’s surprise, it turned out to be quite enjoyable. Perhaps she has been too soak in her melancholy lately. A day out like this might be just what she needs.
After all, there’s nothing good in sulking all day anyway, she just needs to toughen up and eventually she won’t feel hurt anymore.
Eventually.
“All right, you wait here. I have some business to take care of. I’ll be right back.”
Grime said as he stops at a jewelry store. Sasha never thought Grime would be the toad to take interested in accessory. Well, you shouldn’t judge someone base on their appearance as they say.
Sasha waits in front of the store obediently. The crowd keeps moving as she stares into a blank space in the sky. Sometime random folk would take a quick look at her and whisper something to each other. Sasha pays them no attention. But her peace soon ends as she suddenly hears a lousy noise near her.
Sasha snapped out of her daze and turned toward the noise. It’s a bunch of kids surrounding a little girl with short raven hair, making a scene. Sasha frowning slightly.
“Hey! Look, guys! She’s really a human!” A Pan* boy grabbed the girl’s hoodie off and yelled. Revealing a pair of short, rounded ears. The kids surrounding her were all in awe at the sight, despise the girl’s anguish expression.
“Ooh!! You’re right! She really is! Look at her round ears! So weird! Hahaha!!”
“Hey, is it true that your kind is nearly extinct?” A Fox beast kin girl tries to inspect the black hair girl.
“I heard her kind doesn’t have any magical power too! She must be weak as a toddler, hahaha!”
“Maybe that’s why they all die out.”
All the kids laughing loudly and making jokes on the human girl.
“Stop! Give it back.” The human girl said, trying to put her hoodie back on her head. The kid gets annoyed at her protest and catches her hand to stop her.
“What give? You’re such a rude girl, we were just curious! Come on, show me those weird ears of yours.” The boy tries to yank her cloak off, the poor little girl does her best to cling onto her cloak, kids laughing at the scene going on.
“Such an ugly sight!”
Whoosh~~!!
A loud flapping noise, accompanied by a strong breeze toward the group of kids, disrupted them. As the kids look around to find the culprit. They all startled as they saw who it came from.
“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”
Sasha stood in front of them, her wings wide open, so big it covering up the sun, makes the shadow casting down on the kids.
She stared down at them, her cold blue eyes glowing faintly with a magenta tint.
“Oh shit! It’s an Avian!”
The pan boy froze in fear. He let go of the human girl’s cloak and stumbled backward. The other kids weren’t much different.
“Huh?!”
The human girl slowly lifted her head. Her big dolled eyes shimmered in awe as she looked at Sasha.
It have a deep brown color, with a hint of amber.
Sasha noticed.
“Ricky, let’s go. Avians are dangerous. We shouldn’t mess with them.” The fox girl tugged on the boy’s sleeve.
“Well, well. Why don’t we find out just how scary I can be?” Sasha smirked. Her wings spread wide, fangs bared.
That was enough.
The bullies scattered instantly.
“Hmm. Bunch of cowards.”
People nearby began whispering. So rich of them when none had bothered to help before.
“Tch.”
Sasha clicked her tongue and glanced at them. They immediately looked away.
So much for a diverse city.
"Harmony my ass." Sasha muttered.
After she done being irritated, Sasha turned to the human girl. Who was still standing there, staring at her with a bewildered expression.
‘Weird girl.’ Sasha thought.
But… no malice. That was new.
“Are you okay?” Sasha asked awkwardly.
“Mm-hmm!”
The girl nodded repeatedly.
“Cool. So, uh… then I’ll go now.” Sasha replied, wanting to break out of this awkward tension and get out of here.
“Hey! Wait!”
Her voice was small, but enough to stop Sasha mid-step.
“…Yeah?”
“Uhm... Thank you. For helping me.”
"..."
It's odd. It's such a simple sentence. Yet so sincere it made Sasha feel warm inside somehow.
“Heh! You’re welcome! I’m always ready to kick some bully butt!” Sasha puffed her chest, grinning. Tried to appear cool.
The human girl smiled, clearly amused at her antics.
“Can I… know your name?”
“What a weird question. Of course you can. I’m Sasha Waybright. Nice to meet you.”
The avian placed a hand on her chest and took a slight bow to the human, then held out her hand. Waiting.
The girl took it gently. And returned the gesture with an elegant dipped.
“Nice to meet you too. I’m Marcy. Marcy Wu.” Marcy said with a sweet smile.
___
“Pffft~~~ Hahahaha! That was oddly formal.” Sasha can't help but burst out laughing and Marcy soon followed.
It took them a few moment to calm down. After finally catching her breath, Sasha looked at Marcy, curiously.
“So you’re really human?” She asked.
“Mn. Yeah.” Marcy’s hand drifted to her ears unconsciously as she answered.
“…?!”
Marcy panicked a little as she aware of all the stares people will give her. Fortunately, before anything get worse. A shadow suddenly covers her eyesight.
She looks up from the grown to see Sasha had closed up their distance and pulled the hoodie back on her head.
“Huh?!” Marcy’s eyes widen.
“Here, is this better?” Sasha whispered and gently patting Marcy’s head.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry.” The blond lowered her gaze to look right into Marcy’s view. Sasha's smile looked gentle, and her bright blue eyes gave off such a certain feel to it that it calm Marcy down.
“It’s cerulean blue.” Marcy unconsciously whispered.
“Huh?! What?” Sasha dumbfounded.
“!!!” Panicked, Marcy jolted up and slapped her mouth with both hands.
“Uh... i mean. I… I just..” Marcy can’t complete a sentence to save her life and trying hard to pull the hood down to hide her bright red face. Sasha chuckled.
“It’s okay Marcy, it’s cute, no need to feel embarrassed.” Sasha tried to look at her, but Marcy kept turning around and avoiding Sasha.
“No… no. You’re laughing!”
“Alright, alright! I won’t laugh anymore, look at me.” Sasha said so, but she still can’t stop herself from chuckling.
“…” Marcy reluctantly lifted her head.
From afar, a sound slowly becomes louder and louder.
“Spranneeeeeeeeee…”
Just as Sasha noticed the sound and turned her head to look. She suddenly felt an impact of something slimy right in her face and knocked her to the ground.
“KICK!!”
A pink tadpole, out of nowhere, flying straight to Sasha’s face.
“HOW DARE YOU BULLIED MARCY?”
A voice of a girl from the exact direction that tadpole came from, dashing to their place. The pink tadpole quickly jumps back to that girl’s side, on her head for exactly.
Marcy was too stunned to speak. She still didn’t process what just had happened yet. The new girl hurried herself to stand between Marcy and Sasha. The avian girl slowly stood up from the ground and glared at the girl in front of her. A dark skin elf looks around the same age as them.
“You little BRAT!!” Sasha snarled.
“Anne, Sasha!! Stop!” Marcy finally able to speak out to stop whatever was about to happen before it was too late.
“?!!” Anne surprised.
“She didn’t bully me. She helped me!” Marcy shouted and stood between the two of them, trying to explain the situation.
Anne raised an eyebrow “What?”
She slowly adverted her view to look at the angry avian girl over there. A clear red mark on her face. Her whole-body trembling from holding back what she really wants to do to Anne.
“Uh… oof?!”