RoJ One Shots

Coming Home

"Pray tell, why exactly do you need me to guide you to the banana trees? Look, you know the location-" he began.

Michaela interrupted with a laugh as she overtook Joseph, who had stopped mid-stride as he thought things through. She turned to look at him, leaning against the tree next to her.

"Oh come on, Joseph. You heard the recent report about the patrols being more frequent in the area."

He raised an eyebrow at the excited Night Owl.

"Yeah, and I also know that you're a smartass. You'd move twice our speed if you left without me, using your element. Why are you so...jumpy?"

"Let's just say I need back-up," she shrugged, moving forward to snag his wrist to pull him in the right direction. "I'll tell you why, but only if you join me. It's an adventure."

"Fine," Joseph sighed as he let himself be moved from his position, before catching up to her side.

It was past sunset, and he didn't particularly approve of this mission. He was a Fire Elemental, his strength increased from sunrise to sunset. Not that he wasn't strong now, however. And she was right; he did like going on adventures.

"So, the one thing I didn't tell everyone else is that I'm meeting up with someone; a mage." She glanced up, seeing the moonlight stream through the branches of the trees around them. "It's a Water Mage to be exact, and meeting at this time was the only way to get her to accept."

A hum from him encouraged her to continue talking.

"I was given a map as well. I know you and Mercy have been through that area on one of your missions, and you've a far better grasp of the location than any of us Night Owls. All I know is that it's halfway to the banana trees, but that's about it. And Mercy isn't here to help out, so..." Michaela trailed off.

She looked down as she pulled out the map from her bag. She passed it to Joseph, who stopped her from walking ahead, laying a hand on her shoulder.

He took his hand back, lighting his palm with a small stream of fire, bringing it close to the map just to make sure he'd seen what he'd actually seen; doing a double-take.

"You really don't know where this place is. We're going the wrong way."

Michaela turned to face him, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You. Earth Elemental. Wrong way," he smirked, as if trying to lay it out for her in the simplest terms. "Yeah, I'm sure it's a huge shock. Let's go. Follow me."

"Smartass," Michaela thought. "If only you knew."

She gave him a nod, walking after him as they moved to another section of the forest she was unfamiliar with.

"So, you're missing Mercy, aren't you?"

"Well, yes. I mean, we're spoken recently, but it's not like she stays in one place long enough for us to actually meet up. And I can't go to every new campsite with a fire in existence," he answered, thinking of one of his abilities as a Fire Elemental.

"I'm sure she's due back soon. I miss her as well," Michaela said. "Enough that the past two nights, I've been waiting to feel her footsteps on the ground near us."

"I suppose it's good that Eli's birthday is coming up. We're kept busy, aren't we?"

"There's a river coming up. I can feel and hear it."

"I know this location. We're near to where you're supposed to meet your Mage. Why'd they have to choose to be this close to water?" Joseph grimaced, remembering this location was near to where Mercy and him were ambushed on their mission.