Colors of our Souls

15. You are so Dead

Ikari:

We got back from Mount. Hakobe a few hours ago. Romeo was so excited to have his dad back that he tackled him to the ground. Honestly, it was quite cute.

Then I went back to our old cave for a little while, just to grab my small black messenger bag of possessions and find a tree just a bit closer to town to sleep in. I just don't feel safe in an apartment, I would still rather sleep in a tree.

After that I headed to Lucy and Panda's new, shared apartment to check up on them. Strangely, neither of them were there. After walking around for a few minutes, I find a small white envelope on Lucy's desk with my name written on it in curly script. It reads

Dear Kari:

I'm sorry I left without telling you first but that idiot Natsu tricked me into going on a job with him. He needed a pretty blonde haired girl to be bait for a weird old man who is looking to hire a new maid. Don't worry, the job isn't dangerous, it's just destroying a stupid old book. I'll see you soon, please don't kill me when I get back.

Love: Lucy

Well, that explains where Lucy is, but where's Panda?

Leaving the apartment, I notice the sky is completely dark now. She'll be fine until tomorrow, probably.

Cutting my search short, I walk to the outskirts of Magnolia and find a decent sized tree to sleep in. Struggling just a bit to climb with one hand, I grasp the rough bark and begin pulling myself up the trunk.

Soon enough, I reach a comfortable height, where my body is surrounded in enough leaves that I can't be seen from the ground or the sky. Hanging my bag, cloak and the long-sword I always carry on my back over a thick branch, I quickly drift off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next morning, I attach the sword to my back, the light brown belt stretching over one of my shoulders and across my chest to my waist, like a leather sash. Then I sling my bag over one shoulder, quickly covering myself with my slightly tattered black cloak.

Ready for whatever the day might bring, I hop down from my tree limb, brushing some smaller branches in my decent. I land lightly in a crouch, instantly standing straight and beginning a short walk back into Magnolia.

I walk through the clean, mostly empty streets towards the apartment. The morning air is crisp and cool, but not cold. The sky is beautiful, the rising sun casts oranges and blues across the horizon, but, a lot of it is still grey. I missed color so much.

I reach the apartment, quickly running up the stairs two at a time. The apartment looks the same as yesterday. Still no Panda.

Giving up there, I decide to check the guild hall. I walk down the streets once more to find a surprisingly quiet guild hall. I walk through the doors to see only Mirajane inside, back towards me as she tries to set a stack of plates into the highest cabinet behind the bar.

More silently than a mouse, I walk behind the bar, next to Mirajane who seems to be lost in thought.

"Hey Mirajane," I greet quietly.

She jumps a couple of feet into the air, looking shocked for a moment before regaining her composure and usual smile. Thankfully, she had already gotten the plates into the cabinet, or that could have gotten messy.

"Good morning Ikari, what are you doing here so early?" Mirajane asks sweetly.

"Do you know where Panda went?"

She thinks for a moment, "oh yes! Her and Gray took a job request to take out a group of bandits in Oshibana yesterday!"

"I'm going to kill that idiot," I whisper, turning around and walking briskly out of the guild hall. Either Mirajane didn't hear me, or she chose not to respond to that.