"are you sure?"
"positive," the aerialist whispered, snipping off the edge of a fresh bandage. it didn't do much to hide his scars, but...it would do.
the naga rubbed her wrist nervously. "but..."
"we can escape if we stay quiet. the ringleader doesn't sleep - it will come around our quarters at 6."
"it? you speak of her like some kind of cryptid."
"because it is," he mumbled, clasping his satchel shut and throwing it over his arm. "I've seen its' eyes in the shadows of the tent. sometimes it has tentacles, sometimes too many teeth..."
he inhaled, before waving his hand. "whatever. do you have your stuff?"
she nodded. "everything but my bow. I can always make one later."
the aerialist nodded, inhaling deeply and readjusting his satchel.
"...you know the plan, right?"
"mhm. once we get out of the tent, we bolt, right? no stopping for anything except each other."
he nodded again, before turning, facing the exit of the tent.
"...I'm scared."
"so am I," the naga muttered, slithering up to rest alongside her friend, "but it's either take the chance and escape, or stay he -"
"I'm suddenly not scared anymore, let's go."
she blinked, watching him abruptly take off sprinting, before boosting herself after the aerialist, tail whipping against the dirt floor.
of course, it was stormy.
it was cold, and silent - only the sound of rapid footfalls and shuffling scales against gravel and dirt and sand disrupted the still night.
and the aerialist's breathy laughter, filled with disbelief.
he grabbed her hand as she caught up, blank gold eyes bright. finally - finally, finally, finally, after all these years -
they were free.
/-/
* uh yeet have some Mitsuaki Past Life lore that was originally gonna be how they lost their soul and became a Shier Whia akjhdhsffb
but I felt bad lmao
his past life was such a sweetheart he didn't deserve to get tortured like he did ajskdf
i might actually draw his past life's design vs him now ??? and maybe Aza before losing him vs her design now even if I'm not formally introducing her until The Crow's Journal -
anyways uh drink water stay safe ily
I think only Galaxy knows wtf I'm talking about akjshgfds-
