Chapter 73 - Vol. 2 - 38

Ash

That morning, Ash was eating breakfast with Kaori, while Metsumi cleaned some of the rooms the other Saviors had stayed in. The meal consisted of scrambled eggs with some bacon. They were currently also waiting for Satsuhiro to come back. Apparently, the older Savior had been called by the Royal Council, something that annoyed Ash. 

I swear, if this is another fucking mission... 

"So, what did you want to say?" Kaori asked. "Earlier, I mean." 

"Oh, right." Pushing her thoughts about the Council out of her mind, Ash focused. "So, Magia visited me too last night." 

"What?" Kaori asked, surprised. "What did she say?" 

"Same thing Lumina told you," Ash replied. "Literally. She told me to go to the same sites of power Lumina told you to go to." 

"S-Seriously?" Kaori asked and Ash nodded. 

"Mhm. Same places. Near Onyx, near Sapphire, south of Jade. I mean, unless they're separate and they just happen to be close or whatever the fuck." 

"But... Why?"

"I don't know," Ash shrugged. "But, we can get that south one done soon, I think.  Then, because I'm sure they're gonna have something for us, we can do whatever the Council asks us for." 

"Okay... Once we're done, wanna head out?" Kaori asked. 

"..." Ash thought about it. "Yeah." She said.

Regarding the Council, admittedly, although she didn't want to be sent on another mission, she was also curious. She wanted to know the degree to which she should be pissed off for the lack of a break that this would lead to. As Ash thought about that, Metsumi walked into the living room. 

"Ah, I'm excited! You didn't really get to meet them last time, right?" 

"Uh, no," Ash shook her head. 

Of course, when Kaori's parents had visited Satsuhiro's Farm, it was after everything that happened with Varcon. Thanks to that, their time had mostly been spent consoling the blonde. So, no one else really got to talk to them. 

Hm.  As she thought about it, a fleeting thought came to her. I wonder how my parents would react if I saw them again. 

She snorted, almost chuckling.

Yeah, that would be... Awkward, to say the least. 

"Alright!" Kaori gulped down a few bites and stood up, a bright grin on her face. "I'm good to go!" 

"Hold on, hold on," Ash said. She tried to stuff some eggs into her mouth and set her utensils down. "Mmeym, am dmm..." 

"Talking with your mouth full is not befitting a young lady," Metsumi told her with a forced posh tone as she went to pick up the silverware. 

Ash swallowed her food and said:

"Well, I'm lucky I'm not one then," she looked over at Kaori. "Let's go." 

"See ya later, Metsumi!" 

"Have fun, stay safe," the older woman called out after them as they walked out of the house. 

Ash had to shield her eyes. It was such a bright day that she felt like her long-sleeved shirt was going to leave her sweating later. 

"Wow, such a gorgeous day!" Kaori walked ahead of Ash. "Come on, let's get- Oh! Wait, sorry, be right back," Kaori suddenly went back inside. Ash raised a brow but waited for a bit. 

She came back out a few minutes later with her hair tied into a ponytail and a large brown hat. 

"Uh..." Ash said. "Not that you don't like, look good or whatever but...?" 

"It's so people don't recognize me, you know, because of the whole 'killed the archpriest' thing." Ash could sense that Kaori was trying to be lighthearted about it but she still saw the hint of sadness that flashed through the other girl's face. Still, Kaori shook it off and turned, extending a hand towards Ash. "Come on!"

Some anxiety sprouted within Ash.  I mean, I'm me. I'm a half-demon, if they know about me, wouldn't they know about you? Maybe not though, I don't know.

"Coming," Ash walked over to her side and Kaori snaked her right arm around Ash's left and gave her a bright grin.

"To the town!" 

"Uh, yeah." 

Side-by-side, they started moving through the streets of Jade's Spirit Garden's District. Around them, people wearing expensive jis passed them by. Ash both wanted to keep her head low and pull Kaori closer just to show off.  Just to tell everyone around her that, despite their best efforts throughout the years, she was doing okay. It was a moment that made the melancholy she'd been feeling lately fade somewhat. 

"So," Ash started, "anything I should know?" 

"Nah, my family is pretty cool," a fond expression came to Kaori, "I love them. Always have, always will." 

I wish I could say the same,  Ash thought, nodding. 

"Okay." 

After some time, they arrived at a street Ash understood to be squarely in the middle-class part of the city. She barely ever walked through here though, as she'd chosen to spend most of her time growing up either near businesses or trying to catch the richer citizens as they walked out of their homes. So, in a way, this place was new to her. Kaori took her to a quaint brown home nestled between a few others. Ash noticed how she looked around, probably knowing that if anyone would recognize her, it would be her neighbors. 

They knocked on the door twice and it opened in no time at all, revealing a woman standing there who Ash recognized as Kaori's mother. She had longer hair than Kaori's, a slightly darker shade of blonde, and a few wrinkles on her face denoted her age. 

She locked eyes with her daughter and Ash saw Kaori smile. 

"Hi mom..." 

Almost before Kaori could even finish, her mother was embracing her. Ash took a step back, feeling a little awkward as she witnessed the reunion. 

"S-Sweetie, you're okay!" 

"Uh, yeah," Kaori hugged her back with her right arm. 

"We heard about what happened over at Pearl and... Well, we figured you'd be there and..." Her mother sniffled, Ash saw her eyes watering. 

"It wasn't that bad," Kaori replied. 

Then, her father arrived. A large man, with a strong frame walked up. He had the same reaction as Kaori's mother, hugging his daughter as soon as he saw her, only his eyes fell on Kaori's missing left arm. 

"You... What...?" He stammered for a moment. "What happened?" 

At that moment, Ash  really  felt like she was intruding. 

Do I actually need to be here?  She wondered, but then Kaori moved things along.

"Can we come inside?" Kaori asked. 

Only then did they both notice Ash was there. Their eyes widened a little and Ash was afraid for a second that they'd reject the idea, but they both nodded, and soon, they were led inside. 

It was as basic a house as Ash had ever seen, though she hadn't seen many. The furniture, the unlit candles on the countertops, the fruits and vegetables, she had to look closely to find any hints of them actually making more money than the average person. 

She did find them though. A few decorations that seemed expensive, a painting by the back, some exotic-looking plants. They were there. 

Kaori's parents took them to a table where they all sat down. Of course, Ash chose to sit next to Kaori. 

"Gosh, I... What happened?" Kaori's mother asked with a concerned look and Ash found herself endeared by just how 'Kaori-like' the woman sounded. She could see where her friend got her personality from. 

"Um, well..." Kaori raised her left stump. Under the table, she reached for Ash's left hand with her right. It surprised the half-demon, but as their fingers interlocked she saw Kaori gain some confidence. "We were fighting the demons and something happened, I... I got sloppy," she chuckled. "Yeah, could have been worse but, in the end, I made it out okay." 

Well, that's just not true.  Ash thought. I was the one who fucked up. Kaori's arm would still be there if I hadn't. 

"I... Are you okay though, dear?" Kaori's mother asked. Kaori's father crossed his arms as Kaori nodded. 

"Yeah. Just need to be ready for the next fight. So, how have you been?" Kaori asked. 

Then, her parents went on to thoroughly explain what they'd been doing since the two girls had last seen them. After everything that happened with Varcon, Kaori's family had unfortunately been subject to some harassment. Kaori's father found himself getting mobbed by crowds on a few occasions when he went to go buy groceries and such. 

As for Kaori's mother, she lost a few friends due to gossip, as of course, some people believed them to be as "evil" as Kaori is. 

Kaori listened with an expressionless face, but under the table, the way she tightly gripped Ash's hand let the hybrid know how she was actually feeling. 

Eventually, the topic shifted however to Ash herself. 

"As for you," Kaori's father said, "we didn't really get to know you last time. What's your story?" 

Ash answered honestly. 

"I don't have one," she shrugged. "I... I was homeless for like six years, I got chosen to be a Savior, and then I met Kaori. Now I'm here." 

"Can't be that simple," Kaori's mother said. 

"It is," Ash sighed. "And, honestly, I like it that way. I just want to do my job and... I don't know, maybe go somewhere far away once I'm done." Ash stated. 

"What about your parents?" Kaori's father suddenly asked. 

Ash raised a brow. 

"They stopped being in the picture once they couldn't stomach me being the product of a, you know, anymore." 

It was no secret how half-demons came to be, after all, so Kaori's parents understood what she meant. 

"But, you never tried to find them?" Kaori's father asked. 

"Why?" Ash replied. "I don't see a point in that." 

The looks on their faces, including the one on Kaori, let Ash know everyone around her disagreed, but she shrugged. 

"It is what it is," Ash muttered. "Finding them again won't change the last six years." 

Her words marinated in everyone's mind for a few seconds. Then, Kaori's dad nodded.

"... You're a tough girl," Kaori's father said. "Hopefully, you can keep taking care of our little Kaori over here." 

"What?" Kaori chuckled. 

"I mean, she brought you here for some reason, and it sure isn't because you're a good conversationalist," Kaori's father said with a smirk and Kaori blushed. Ash laughed. 

"Yeah, I... I guess so." 

---

It would be a couple of hours before they left. In that time, Ash learned a lot about Kaori, specifically her childhood. The friends she had, where she worked, the things she used to participate in. Her parents couldn't stop talking about her. 

On one hand, it let Ash know more about one of the two women who had become so important to her. On the other, it allowed Ash to internalize just how much Kaori had lost, on a social level, thanks to the earlier events. 

Kaori waved at her parents as the two came out onto the street. 

"Bye! Maybe I'll come back tomorrow!" Kaori said. 

"Bye..." Ash awkwardly raised a hand. 

"Take care, sweetie," Kaori's mom said and her father bowed a little. 

With that, it was done. 

"Okay, we should probably head back, I think..." Ash was cut off. Before she could finish speaking, Kaori kissed her softly. Then, she remained as close as she was and hugged the hybrid. 

Ash blinked a couple of times and shook her head. 

"Huh?" 

"Thanks for coming," Kaori said with a dimpled smile. "Gosh, I needed this."

Ash cleared her throat. 

"Yeah. Come on, let's head back. Satsu might be back by now."

Kaori nodded. 

"Alright." 

A few hours later, they returned home, and, indeed, the Savior was sitting at a couch, with Kasumi opposite him. As Ash's eyes landed on the crimson-haired Savior, she raised a brow. 

Ah. Fuck. It's probably serious, isn't it?

"Kaori, Ash. Good," Satsuhiro nodded to himself. He stood up and walked over to them, handing over a paper. Ash passed it to Kaori, and the blonde read out:

"... A portal's opened." 

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Ash muttered. "Can't I take a break for like two days?" 

"In Sapphire." 

"Wait, what?" Ash asked as Kaori read that. "What do you mean?" 

"It means," Satsuhiro stepped in. "It seems another city is about to be attacked." 

At that moment, Ash understood that the rest she sought would likely not come anytime soon.