Sunset of a killing frost

Longing

Ariel got her wish but not in the way she wanted.

Given a break for good performance was the assumption but in reality there was nobody to stand in for the teamamte they were temporarily missing.

Lauhka was looking rather exhausted from her incessant visits.

"I understand you are eager for your comrade's return, but you will be notified of it, Miss Mathison." She let the serval down.

Ari looked down in shame for bothering the lady in charge of their headquarters so much.

She apologized and left the official be. On her way out she was ambushed.

"I knew I'd find you here." There was a voice she didn't quite feel familiar, but was still somewhat able to recall.

Their appearance was something she could not have misplaced however.

"You of all people? Just what do you have to do with me?" Ari really was perplexed for what their business would be.

The difference in uniform and allegiance of division was separating these two, by Ariel's decision. Their other difference was the visitor's fur being long, and black and white unlike the serval's pale tan and white.

"You're making the rounds, girl! We're cheering for you at Kenoma!" She seemed excited to catch up.

"There better be a fanclub of me headed by you, Maelia." Ari recognized the one who she brawled it out with all the way back in the exam.

As their little greeting ended Ari's attempt to give a handshake was one upped by getting hugged instead.

"There might as well be. You've been making all of us proud."

Not even the rest of her own division gave her such a warm welcome home. She'd been back in the captial for almost a week. She couldn't help but feel like she got what she was owed somewhat.

One more familiar voice bearing that distinct accent arose changing the mood.

"My oh my! Seems like other people noticed your schedule. I was just about to catch you after your outing, but you beat me to it." The pale form of the captain was shutting the door behind themselves and approaching.

"And there's the lonely child. Don't you dare just keep her around for her merits and forget about the rest. Better yet, file her for a raise, she deserves it." The cat's approach was completely different to the lunar.

Just what kind of perception do people have of the captain?

"Noted, but you better get moving before you actually say something that would upset me, demon." They seemed a bit more... on edge... more irritable.

"Hellwalker, but I'll oblige, lunar. Take care dear Ariel." With that she left.

"The hell was that about, Liinei?" Ari was understandably taken out of her brief uplifted state.

"Which part? Depending on what you meant I might answer..." They also went for the way out and beckoned her to follow.

It was still quite warm outside, despite the late summer passing. Early fall was ushering more rain and less direct sunlight.

Walking along the not-quite leaf covered sidewalks in no particular direction was a quite opportune time to have a little talk.

"So what was that about calling her a demon like that?" She started off.

"A sincere observation. Even if it turned out false. I guess we're even on that mark." They explained.

They were passing by more urban areas wandering towards the center.

"How's that make sense?" Ari tilted her head.

"I'm as much of a lunar as she is a demon."

Huh?

"I'm a moonfolk, not a lunar." They added.

"First time I'm hearing of those existing, let alone you being one. Was I calling you the wrong thing this whole time? What's even the difference?" A miriad of questions were in order.

"Look, Ari, I know you're not educated in these matters so I'll be simple in my explanation. In times of old there was a war in which our nation of moonfolk needed more fighters and thus created the lunar." They went on.

"So what, you're like thousands of years old? And also screw you, books were my entire life growing up." Ari made it a point to let them know she wasn't wholely uneducated.

"Oh, were they? We have that in common then. But I'm not as old as I might have led on to be. The common lunar transfers to clay within a year, but moonfolk take a decade. By your standard I'm barely a teenager..." Liinei was a little embarassed admitting this.

"Wait what? So whats the posing as a know-it-all scholar for?" Ari had been taken aback.

"Hey, I'm 34! You don't get to make fun of my age, you're like 16!"

"I'm actually 19 you dummy. I bet you're an infant by moonfolk numbers. Little baby. Little tiny baby Liinei." She was really making fun now.

For it she recieved a smack on the back of the head. Still in a completely playful headstate she tripped them as revenge, but they fell right into a puddle making their clothes dirty and wet.

She gasped and held her hands over her mouth but still let out the few chuckles she couldn't hold in.

"At least give me a hand if you'll laugh at me..." They reached up.

Ari helped, then noticed they were at the front of a coffeehouse.

"Why not go in there? I'm sure there's somewhere warm to hang what got splashed." Ariel pointed and offered.

"..." A pout and a sideways look was the response.

"Come on, I'll treat you this time."

Once inside the serval asked the clerks for a place near the boilers to dry the cape and overcoat, as well as two cups of their brew.

"So..." She sighed as she slumped down in the chair across from Liinei. "What were you saying about the moonfolk? Some big war?"

"Yes, and one of devastating loss nonetheless. I take it you know at least a little history?" They wanted to first know how in depth they can begin.

"Which war are you talking about? I just know about the fourth layer's betrayal thing." She could recall the faint idea of the war between Hell's allied forces and the lunar human alliance.

"No, I'm talking about the third layer. Back then we were at war with a certain group called Witches. Ring any bells?" They leaned forward.

"I quite literally have no clue what a witch is. I just know that only a few layers didn't end with a war that Uvica wasn't directiy involved in." She finished the sentence just as their drinks arrived. "Oh, thank you."

"Quite the peacemakers, aren't we?" Another unserious remark.

"Let's leave the moralization for some other time." With that she took her first sip of the steaming dark coffee in her cup and peered out the window.

Sure is nice to be here, when you're not the one with your life on the line.

The unremarkable street outside wasn't the greatest view in the city, but it was still a quite pleasant sight for just calmy going on about the everyday person's life.

"I wonder when Catarina will be back..." Ari kept staring out.

"They'll let us know. Lady Lauhka is serious when she says something will be done." Liinei has clearly known her better than Ari by the assuredness in their voice.

They just sat there for a while. Not pondering, not really. Eventually their drinks were no more.

Liinei put back on their decorated coat and longingly stared at the cape.

The cape of crimson that still reminded them both of the worst.

"Put it on. It looks good on you." Encouraged Ariel.

A short stare with an unsure look preceded their obliging of the suggestion.

They left the shop both warmer and more sure of what was to come.

Yet longing

The huge box yet still laid slightly torn open in the middle of her room.

It was delivered while they were still out fighting against the blight.

Is it that there's just journalists everywhere, or is it that I'm being followed? Am I really that newsworthy? To be in the paper every time I go and do something?

Even the door to the stairwell between the apartments was littered with papers stuck on it praising her name.

"Demon soldier found to be Angel?" Who would belive such bullcrap? Even I don't fully buy it.

She dug her hand into the box. From within this whirlpool of letters with each an attempt to reach an aspect of divinity she withdrew a random one.

She cut along the top and opened it up. The thick scent of perfume overwhelmed her from within. She did not like what the contents were soliciting and thus threw it into the pile of the ones she wasn't intent on keeping.

Whenever will my wings sprout? Or will I only have a halo over my head? Even with that I wouldn't look the part...

She tried to form a circular object depicting one from her grace and held it above her head in front of the mirror.

It goes well with my hair at least...

The next letter spilled out money which went in another pile. All sorts of people were reacting in different ways of the news of her true identity.

Some were of simply expressions of joy for an angel finally descended in this age. Some were asking for miracles, of saving the sick and downtrodden, or bring back the dead. Others were more threatening in their language. Not all believed an angel to be truly holy, were they to take the form of a demon.

Either way she still spent the time to read them, if only sometimes continuing because her friends' letters had been mixed in with the rest.

There was one with a certain family crest on a wax seal. It gave off a sense of aristocracy.

It says Roskilde. Roskilde Roskilde Roskilde... I don't remember anyone called that.

The red wax broke in half with a bit of force and the parchment unwrapped easily.

She read the letter aloud:

"Dear Ariel,

It has been a while since we left on our own paths at the end of our training.

By the time I finished my first visit to Aun-Lixa even my family was buzzing with the news of your accomplishment. Contrary to how they feel I am glad to have been by your side at that time.

Write back and we'll catch up, you hear?

Tesu Roskilde."

The bastard still thinks about me. He's getting an earful for skipping our outing after the exam and letting Catarina kidnap me.

It was about the time the blueish gray sky that the setting sun blended with a blazing orange turned to a the dim sapphire space overhead lined with the burning stars. To her it was only an indication to light a lamp and to open the window to let some of the cool evening air in.

"This again? You can't be serious." She opened the window.

"Not what you think. It's your turn, come out here!" Liinei was there on the roof just like a few months before.

I really can't deal with this idiot.

She threw on her shoes and stepped out of the window in her casual outfit.

"How'd you even get up here? I don't see any ladders or stairs, did you rummage through some poor recon's attic?" Ari was following as the captain was leading her away.

"Believe your eyes over your biases." They said while kneeling down. Grace appeared around their legs as they lept across the street to the opposite line of houses.

With a running start Ariel was able to cross the same distance just with her athletics.

"What pointless escapade are you taking me on again?" Ari kept up as the jump was only the start to running along the rooftops and chasing after the captain.

"It's a nice surprise I swear! It's not bedtime for you, is it?" They yelled back.

The adventure took her to a part of town she wasn't familiar with. They stopped on a flat top building and peered at the looming tower Ari didn't realize they were almost at the base of.

Would it really be so hard to just tell me what is happening for once? I swear, I'll make you regret this.

With the softest steps she could muster and with her breath held she snuck up behind the lunar completely undetected.

Got you.

Liinei reach back and turned in a panic after being startled like this. They felt it being removed and when they turned they saw Ari putting on the dark red cape.

"Tell me your foolish plans, moon freak!" The serval leveled a summoned sword just like the one the cape's owner wielded.

"That's not funny! What do you think you're doing? Give it back now!" They were not playing into it.

The nearly full moon beamed down on both of them. The two of them stood like this until the moment a cloud passed over and blocked out the moonlight, at which Ariel charged forth towards the lunar.

The demon came bolting toward them with the sword bound for their head with a gliding thrust until the moment of conclusion.

Liinei was still stood there, arms raised and wincing but not capable of fighting back against her of all people.

The attack was fake and Ari stopped right next to them, with the weapon directly on the other side purposefully missing them by just inches.

Out of sheer reflex they were breathing heavily, even though their body needed no air.

Ariel undid the weapon, took the arm that was already across the captain's frame and bore down in embrace.

"Why...? Why is it so hard...? I never know what I'm forced to walk facefirst into..." She was crying.

"I'm....."

"Can you please just tell me? Just tell me anything. I'm so scared every time." She hugged even tighter and cried harder.

They held onto her but she couldn't make out the meaning behind their weak mutterings. Ari calmed down but kept holding on. They only separated once the cloud passed letting the moon illuminate them both once more.

She only got a single peep at their teary face as they turned away towards the tower.

"We're sneaking in there." Even the implication was insane.

Apart from the lunars and those directly associated, the whole purpose of the New Aun-Lixan tower was steeped in complete mystery.

"So that was the whole deal? Some dusty old tower?" She cleared her throat after speaking.

"I suppose it does need some renovations. Still, why not just sneak in a little? The transference is in a few days, so it shouldn't be busy inside." They went on.

"Only if you promise to tell me what a transference is." Ariel followed.

"Fine then."

Shenanigans

Their best plan of action was to climb the lower parts from the outside, as it had ample footing. Their agility was being pushed to its limits by some of the heights required to ascend and thus they put more care into their movements.

"I think this is a good place to enter." Liinei told Ari in the loudest possible whisper without shouting. They also motioned to come close but stay low.

From the brightly lit inside came the sound of someone playing the violin rather skillfully yet still making mistakes.

In the brief moments of the musician's recomposure after such a failure the two intruding recons also halted their movements. They successfully passed by them to the next set of stairs.

Their further ascent was unabated and they could simply run upstairs for a few dozen floors.

Quite a few of the floors ahead were empty, save for the one passed out fellow halfway hanging off a cushion.

Before even taking a look up at the next level Liinei got close to explain something.

"Listen up. The next floor, floor 78 has a guard. I know this for reasons I can't explain with such short time."

"So what's the plan?" She questioned in return.

"I could waltz right up no problem. But you'd be picked out the moment they saw you."

"Again, what do we do then?"

"I've got something that will certainly work. Remember Catarina's ability?"

"You better not make me lose conciousness from pain..." She jested.

"No, that's not a part of her grace I can copy. It's the string, I'll lower it by the window once I'm above. I'll drag you right up." The captain put forth the straightforward plan.

Copy, huh? Way to finally tell me what your damn ability is.

A fair few minutes went by whist Ariel stood next to the open window.

Rustling.

Then sounds of exertion.

The person sleeping was stretching and waking up. With a few blinks they opened their eyes, looking directly at her.

"Huff... Good evening. What brings you here at this hour?" He sighed and spoke.

"Cleaning the windows." Ari said as she grabbed onto the blue string that at that moment reached down in front of the window.

With a hardy tug she was dragged out and upwards.

She was way more terrified of being found out and captured than being incredibly high up in the air being only held by a literal thread.

Then the thread was exchanged for a hand which she was dragged inside by.

She landed in the room next to Liinei and then heard a heavy voice ring out before she could even stand.

"I am not even surprised." It said.

Sat at a desk was a lunar male. He looked like an official of some sort, or perhaps an officer. His well kept long hair and distinguished ensemble gave a sense of high status.

"Was it not always unlike me to keep within boundaries, father?" Liinei helped the serval up and looked her over.

Father? Ohhhhh dear.

"Uhm, Sir, I deeply apologize for the intrusion and will leave right away along with your... child..." She even bowed down.

"See, even she is more polite than you. How about you stay for but a minute? I'd like a little talk with Liinei." He turned to the side and took a kettle off a small heater.

The two trespassers took seats by the heavy wooden desk and were each poured a cup of tea.

I guess lunars can drink more than eat.

"How come you're fine with one of her kind just flying in through the window?" Liinei was sitting in an uncharacteristically loose and laid back manner. They were clearly putting on a rebellious persona.

Ari shrinked her own posture at the thought.

"Watch your tone. Have I not told you of my audience with Hell's royalty when we were still allies?" Him saying this made Ariel immedately more comfortable.

"I was way too old for bedtime stories by the time you took me into your care." They replied.

Took into...? Are they like me?

"Enough already. Tell me about that one fight from your last mission. That certain duel." He surely knew of what was done to them.

Ari looked over to them and brushed their arm to comfort them, as it looked like it was quite needed.

"My first mark was broken in combat. I-" Their shameful admission was cut off.

"You are not being disowned. There is nothing that would get in the way of my care of you. Only a few know of it either way." Words of comfort came from him. His demeanor was portraying more of someone who would either oust them or simply end their relation on the spot, but his heart said otherwise.

"Thank you... Adwan.... Dad......" Liinei still could not raise their face.

Ari's expression of surprise from the tea's delicate flavor was met with an unlikely smile from the distinguished man. It was the last thing between the two during their favorable first impression, as the guards made it to the study.

The scramble back to the window was unexpected to their pursuers. Together they descended right back to the window by the string of grace.

The two swung back inside at the floor below where the serval was dragged up from.

"I said I was cleaning the windows! The hell is wrong with you!" The serval yelled at the nincompoop who definitely told on them.

Their plan of action was shared without a word. Ari was in the lead of descending the vast floors and flights of stairs.

With incredible luck their way out was only covered by some remaining guards who they could weave past and then descend the outside part of the tower in their initial path.

It was far easier but far more terrifying to jump down the outside scaffolds and supports than to go up them.

They couldn't possibly go home right away. It mattered not, as the night was still young.

In the aftermath of such a chase they could slow down to a half run and catch their breaths.

"My stepfather will write if off... He always does...." Liinei let out.

"So we both really were fosters the whole time. Haha. Why are you breathing heavy?" Ari was winding down and finally regaining her stamina.

"Sheer excitement. Though I really didn't expect this to be a point of relation... Go figure, like the old codger says."

The night is still young.

Taste of what?

In the capital city of Tavatha almost a third of the residents were lunars.

Lunars that needed only sleep once a week.

Ari was let in on this fact once she begged to go satiate her immense hunger.

"It has been twenty years since I regularly had to eat! Don't blame me for not keeping up!" They said as the two paced the streets looking for a place to get something hot.

"Ah it's whatever. You wouldn't get the kind of cravings I do even if you were a human..." Ari let a confession loose from her tired uncaringness.

"The hell's that mean? Ari are you doing something you're not supposed to?" The captain grew concerned at this.

"I'm not... But if we don't find something soon I might just grab the next passerby and...." She was even more unhinged.

Instead of reprimand or further pushback they just yanked her into the open eatery right by their side without even knowing what awaited them within.

Before the serval could throw herself at the surprised clerk she was grabbed and thrown to a corner seat while the more sociable of them ordered whatever was being sold.

Even being in a secluded spot she couldn't keep herself in check, so they took her to the upstairs where they were completely alone.

"What did you get?" She asked after staring into Liinei's soul for an entire minute without blinking.

"Some sort of flatbread. The owner's from Leigh so you're eating foreign tonight. It'll take a while though..." They postured their chin upon their hand.

I need something now.... Anything......

Ari collected the words in her head and spoke without stopping to think if it was okay.

"So you know how we ate the favored beast rabbit and how I was divined and learned about Albinoth who is the love Patron and what if it was like a love potion from a story and we ate it together?" The sentence ran from her mouth in a single breath.

"What."

"I'm just saying what if thats what happened and we can never find love elsewhere and how could we even know?" She went on even further.

"If you want something, just say it." They shifted in their seat.

"Like how could we know if that made us be in love could we just kiss real quick to make sure..." Ari finally got to the point.

Liinei just sighed and rolled their eyes before leaning over the table and facing her.

Ari had no idea where to go from here. She skipped a little as she awkwardly leaned in to meet them in the middle.

This couldn't not have ended awkwardly.

It was possibly the most awkward kiss in history.

She didn't know what to do with her snout and made things quite difficult. She also didn't know if she should close her eyes so she squinted slightly.

Even so, Liinei's attempt to take charge was taken over by Ari's brashness, she almost bit a couple times.

Eventually they settled into the flow.

...

"There. See? Not in love." They slumped back.

"Yeah... No not really..." Ari was dizzy from it all.

Neither of them had the capability to blush but they certainly would be if they could.

They both just sat there in embarassment until the serval's late dinner was ready.

She just took it and left, and ate it as they walked home.

The moonlight guided them still.

"I'll be sleeping in tomorrow, okay?" She said with the raspiest voice she's ever had.

"I might do the same." Said Liinei, smiling a little.

How could I know if I've never been in love before? Know what this really is?