"I told you to get rid of him!" Lloyd roared the next day after seeing Hugh and Ariana together once again.
Cree shrank backward. "I-I-I know," he breathed.
"Then why is Hugh still alive?" Lloyd demanded, turning on the Top.
Cree's breath quickened. "W-we tried," he gasped, "but we couldn't catch him!"
Lloyd folded his arms. "Couldn't catch him?" he hissed. "What kind of an excuse is that?"
"H-he was too fast," Cree went on desperately. "A-and there was the horse and... the dog..." He shuddered.
Lloyd's eyes rounded in disbelief. "You got beaten by a couple of animals?" he exclaimed, his fury rising.
"Well, n-not exactly," Cree stammered, shuffling his feet. "Your... Your wife showed up."
Lloyd froze. Of course she did, he thought with irritation. Gritting his teeth, he whipped around, trying to work through his anger. Now she knows I want Hugh dead. Working through his anger wasn't working so well when he realized he was even closer to losing Ariana than before. With a growl, he conjured an energy ball in his hand and stalked back toward Cree, desperate to take his anger out on something. He lifted his hand above the Top and, gasping, Cree stumbled backward, eyes widening with desperation. Lloyd glared at him for a moment longer before throwing the ball at the far wall instead. His body was weakening and he turned his back to Cree, not wanting to let the Top know he was drained. "Leave me," he commanded.
There was a skitter of footsteps and he knew Cree had fled. Breathing heavily, he rubbed his hands together, grunting as he struggled to build up more power. His fingers produced nothing but sparks and his fury rose. Straining his energy, he groaned with the effort of forming a ball until his anger gave him the last burst of strength he needed. Jolting backward, he thrust the power at the desk in the center of the room, shaking as he watched the whole thing explode into dust. His vision started to blur and he staggered on his feet, but he could still make out the chunks of wood flying across the room from the broken desk. Panting, he reached over and drew out That Sword, determined to push through his weakened state. Must I do everything myself?
But he knew he wouldn't last long in a fight. Not now, when he was in so much pain. But I'm not about ready to let Hugh know that, he thought, furrowing his eyebrows. For all he knew, the traveler was too afraid to challenge him again after he had beaten him so easily the last time. As long as he believes I'm still that strong, I'll be able to hold him off for the time being. And that was all he could do.
From outside the Main Base, Ariana halted at the end of the street. Bright flashes of green light were showing through the large building's wood and she drew in a deep breath. Lloyd, she thought. He's angry again. Straightening up, she headed forward. We have to talk about this. They hadn't interacted with each other in weeks, not since Lloyd had reduced the Baddies' pay. He seemed to grow crueler by the day, and now, without tokens, many of the Baddies had begun to starve... including Ariana, who was forced to share her pay with Hugh and Ronin.
To be fair, though, the more Baddies Lloyd tortured or killed, the more food there was for the rest of them.
The last time she had seen Lloyd, he had been staggering out of the tavern—drunk. He seemed to be drunk a lot lately. She had avoided him, and had continued to, for she had been scared, but she now knew they couldn't keep avoiding each other like this. They had to work it out. Somehow.
Ariana found her husband in the main room, where he most often was. An energy ball was forming in his hands, but when he heard her footsteps and spun around, it disappeared.
"Lloyd?" she began, walking over to him.
The Baddie stopped in his work, but didn't relax as he used to around her. "Ariana," he breathed through gritted teeth.
Ariana let out a short sigh. "Lloyd, what is going on?" she pleaded. "What are you doing?"
"I'm doing what the Overlord asked," Lloyd spat. "I'm doing what's best for both of us. And you should know better than to interfere, because if I mess this up, we'll never get out of here."
Ariana's eyes rounded. "Is that still the only thing you're thinking about?" she demanded. "Because what's the point of earning your freedom if you earn it alone?"
The question seemed to take Lloyd by surprise. "What are you talking about? We're getting out of here together. Like we planned to." Horror flashed in his gaze. "Aren't we?"
Ariana shook her head. "I thought you cared about me," she went on, voice wavering. "But killing Hugh?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "That's not what I expected—not even from you."
Lloyd stiffened in anger. "Oh, so that's what this is about?" he snapped. "That thieving, little rat?"
"In case you didn't know, I happen to care about Hugh very much," Ariana shot back. "And when you—"
"Well, in case you didn't know, I care about you very much!" Lloyd interrupted without thinking. He let out a long breath before continuing. "And I know what Hugh's up to, and I know that when he does something, you'll get hurt again and... and..."
Ariana drew in a shaky breath, not knowing how to respond to that. "You've... You've just been distant lately," she murmured.
"But maybe I'm not the only one!" Lloyd's voice grew desperate. "You're the one going off with Hugh in who-knows-where, leaving me high and dry, on the outside, watching as he... he... does what he does to you!"
Ariana also sounded desperate now. "I was frustrated!" she blurted. "Frustrated with you. So when Hugh showed me that kind of affection I... I let him."
"Why would you be frustrated with me?" Lloyd scoffed. "I'm only trying to make you happy!"
"You're different now," Ariana said. "You're—you're the terror of the town!"
"And you don't like that?" Lloyd challenged.
Ariana stared at him. "That's not the man I married," she replied evenly.
Lloyd furrowed his eyebrows. "Then who is?" he spat. "Because whoever you're searching for seems to be gone!"
Shock lit up Ariana's face. Folding her arms, she turned away, swallowing hard.
Lloyd grimaced, suddenly feeling his anger melt and his heart soften. "Look, Ariana, I-I didn't mean..." He reached forward to comfort her, but she pulled away.
"If you're so rough and bad now, maybe you should find someone who's as strong as you," she whispered. "Because I can't handle it anymore. I can't handle how you treat everyone. It's not what you used to do—it's not who you used to be."
Lloyd's eyes widened as he immediately regretted everything he said. "B-but, Ariana, I still love you," he breathed, panic forming inside of him. "Don't you know I still love you?" Ariana didn't reply, and he finally understood. "You... You don't?"
Ariana took a pace back. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Turning her gaze away, she spun around and left the room.
"Ariana!" Lloyd called after her, but she didn't return. Breathing shakily, he stared at the ground, mind whirling. What is wrong with me? he thought, looking down at his hands. Everything I've done, it's been for Ariana. That's the point of all of this! But I'm only losing her. He gave a frustrated groan. How could I not have seen it? Even before Hugh ever showed up, I neglected her. And I've been neglecting her ever since. I told her I wouldn't abandon her like the others in her life did—but what am I doing now?
Lloyd ran his fingers through his hair, inwardly scolding himself over and over. And as his feelings of hatred came back, he realized Hugh might not be the cause of it.
Maybe the real person he hated was himself.
* * *
"Watch this!" Cole whispered, peering around the undergrowth at the unsuspecting moose in front of him. Vanessa was beside him, following his gaze.
"What are you going to do?" she asked, gazing sideways at him in curiosity.
Keeping his eye on the animal, Cole pulled a rope from his belt. "I'm gonna ride it," he murmured back.
Vanessa's eyes rounded. "Ride it?" she breathed. "You're crazy!"
"Don't worry, I do this all the time," Cole reassured her, slowly creeping out of the cover. The moose raised its head and stared at him, unmoving. Grinning softly, Cole went closer, watching as the fur along its back rose and it began stalking toward him. Come on, he silently coaxed it. Come and get me. Rounding his rope into a loop, Cole jumped in place to startle the animal.
And startle it he did.
Stomping its hooves, the moose charged, and Cole stood his ground until the animal could ram into him. Then he leaped to the side and threw his rope, hooking it onto the moose's antlers.
"Aha!" he exclaimed, gripping his side of the rope tightly. But, furious, the moose began to fight back and Cole skidded on his feet. When the animal started to charge again, Cole slid around and pounced onto its back with a grunt.
The moose was really angry now.
It began to buck and kick, but Cole held firm to the reigns, laughing. In a fit, it sped forward as if trying to knock the ninja off through speed. Cole managed to stay on, and the moose eventually fell into a circular run. Cole gasped as he was jerked around, but inside he was brimming with delight. He turned his head as Vanessa appeared out of the bushes, giggling as she watched the performance. Smirking, Cole yanked at the rope and the moose turned toward her. Her eyes widened as Cole reached down and grabbed her arm, swinging her up onto the animal behind him. She gave a squeal of alarm as the moose began to charge again, this time toward the pines.
Cole tried to steer as best he could, hearing Vanessa laughing behind him. Her delight gave him another burst of confidence and he yanked at the rope, scaring the moose into running faster. Vanessa gasped as the sudden speed thrust her forward and she wrapped her arms around Cole's waist, clinging to him to keep her from falling. Cole felt a jolt of alarm at the gesture, glancing over his shoulder to see her smile as she rested her head against him. Then his shock faded into warmth and he turned forward again, grinning from ear to ear.
Their ride went on for a while the moose finally gave up and skidded to a halt in a small clearing. Cole then hopped off its back and reached forward to help Vanessa down. Her face flushed as their hands met and Cole felt his own tingle in his fingers until she was on the ground and they broke apart again. He tugged the rope from the moose's antlers and let it go before he and Vanessa headed back into the pines.
"That was the most fun I've had in a long time," Vanessa admitted softly, her face shining.
Cole's heart was still fluttering and he felt his face redden. "I've ridden a moose before, but riding with you felt... special," he mumbled.
Vanessa answered with silence, but Cole's feelings were still high, and, without thinking, he moved his hand closer to hers and intertwined their fingers. He felt Vanessa stiffen underneath his touch and he immediately tugged his hand away again, embarrassment flooding over him. He didn't dare look at her as they continued walking, but somewhere along the way, Vanessa's hand met his again, and before Cole knew it their fingers were locked together.
* * *
Raymond messed with his fork and plate during lunch that afternoon, which was full of talk about Vanessa—as it always was. Cole's eyes were bright with happiness as he rapidly told his stories, barely giving himself time to swallow his food. Raymond had tried to feel happy for the ninja, he had, but it was getting too much. How Vanessa fueled every fiber of Cole's energy was dangerous. The man knew where the girl came from, and he couldn't handle the thought of her possibly breaking Cole's heart. One pull of her Baddie moves and he'd be crushed.
"Raymond?" Cole cut himself off when he realized the man wasn't listening. "Are you okay?"
Raymond looked back up at him, hoping his face didn't give his feelings away. But Cole seemed to pick up on something, because his eyes suddenly rounded with anxiety. "Is it me?" he gasped. "Did I do something wrong?"
Seeing how nervous the ninja looked suddenly made Raymond realize he hadn't seen Cole anxious in a long time. And that was saying something. Maybe Vanessa was helping him get through his trauma. For a moment, Raymond hesitated, wondering if he should still bring it up, but Cole was only getting more frantic, and he knew it was too late to drop it now. "About this... Vanessa," he stammered. "I think you might be spending a little too much time with her."
Cole's unease shifted into suspicion. "What do you mean?" he asked. "You don't like her?"
Every word Raymond choked out pained him. "I just don't want her to hurt you," he went on. Because I know how fragile you are right now, he added to himself.
"Why would she?" Cole breathed. As Raymond struggled for a reply, the ninja's eyebrows furrowed in realization. "It's because she's a Baddie, isn't it?"
Raymond heaved a sigh of defeat, pushing his plate away from him. "Baddies can't be trusted," he stated. "And I don't know if she's tricking you into this just to get something she wants."
Breathing shakily, Cole rose to his feet. "You're just like the rest of them," he murmured.
"I'm only trying to protect you," Raymond said, getting to his feet as well. He laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I care about you a lot, kid, and I can't bear to see you get hurt again."
Cole pulled away from him. "I can take care of myself," he spat, suddenly angry. "I'm strong now." He puffed out his chest and turned his head to glare at the man. "I don't need you to look out for me. I don't need you at all!"
Raymond flinched backward as if he had been struck. "C-Cole," he breathed shakily, "you don't really mean that, do you?"
"I'm tired of being pushed around," Cole snapped back. "I can make my own decisions. I don't have to listen to you!"
Raymond's eyes rounded as the ninja pounded toward the cave mouth. "Cole, wait!" he called, starting after him.
Cole didn't look back. "Just leave me alone!" he groaned, storming out into the snow.
Chest heavying, Raymond stopped at the mouth, gazing after the ninja as he disappeared beyond the cliffs. Hurt washed over him like rain, but he refused to let it get to him. Cole was only frustrated.
All throughout the rest of the day, Raymond paced the entrance to the cave, every now and then halting to scan the snow. Worry for the ninja piled inside of him as the hours dragged by and Cole didn't return. Where could he be? Raymond wondered, trying to forget how angry the ninja had been before he left.
But as night began to fall, Raymond reluctantly admitted to himself that Cole might have left for good.
* * *
That evening, Ariana was sitting beside Hugh in the tavern, but she wasn't hungry. She tugged at her hair, ignoring the food before her, and thought about what she had said to Lloyd. Maybe she had been too harsh. Lloyd had said he cared about her... but did he? She wasn't so sure anymore.
"Eat something, won't you, Dustbunny?" Hugh's voice broke her thoughts.
"I'm not hungry," she grumbled back.
"What's up?" Hugh pressed, reaching forward to place his arm around her.
She resisted the gesture with a jerk of her arm, remembering what Lloyd had told her. She didn't like Hugh in that way. He was like a brother to her. But it seemed obvious that Hugh thought otherwise.
Just then, the tavern doors flung open, and all gazes turned as Lloyd stepped in. The whole place seemed to go silent as the Baddie made his way through the tavern, his glare raking everyone he passed. Ariana looked away as he gazed in her direction, but immediately turned back when he was past her. She found herself studying him as he headed for the main counter, noticing a limp in his walk. Surprise shot through her. When did he get hurt? she wondered, angry at herself for feeling concerned. She knew Lloyd's change was making the others suspicious about her, too, and she didn't like it one bit.
An angry shout from Lloyd jolted her back to the present and she saw the Baddie swipe a stack of plates off the counter and to the ground, eyes blazing furiously. Ariana winced as they shattered into a million pieces. He's got to get his temper under control, she thought.
The lady behind the counter cowered away from the enraged Baddie as the others in the tavern watched intently to see what would happen next. Lloyd seemed ready to fight, but as he turned his head and realized he was making a scene, he suppressed his fire with an angry spat and snatched a bottle instead. With one last glare at the girl, he whipped around and began pounding back toward the doors. The Baddies stumbled backward as he pushed his way between them before he stormed out onto the streets.
The tavern stayed quiet for a few more seconds until the chatter slowly revived and the tension broke again.
Ariana released the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Lloyd had always been well-known in the Bend, but not for the infamous reasons he was now. He had been the lovable, free-spirited one of the town. He had been easygoing, but not weak, and that was what made the others admire him. Anyone could've struck a conversation with him and he'd talk for hours. He had been different. Like a light to their dark world. But, oh, how the tables had turned. Strike a conversation with him now and you'd be dead.
"Wonder what set him off," Hugh commented carelessly.
Abruptly, as if offended, Ariana jumped to her feet. Without another word, she whipped around and pounded into the crowd.
From across the table, Ronin suddenly began to chuckle. Hugh turned his gaze from Ariana to his brother in confusion. "What?" he demanded.
Ronin didn't lift his head from the table as he went on chuckling. "You know what this situation is?" he began. "Hopeless. Completely hopeless."
Hugh stared at him. "What are you talking about?"
"You're playing them both," Ronin went on, finally lifting his head. His only eye was sparking with amusement. "And you're getting nowhere with it."
Anger formed inside of Hugh. "It's just until I work out a plan," he snapped. "And I already have an idea..."
Ronin shook his head disbelievingly. "Sure you do," he sniggered. "But, you know, Lloyd is watching that sword day and night. You can't just walk up to him and grab it."
"Not unless I'm strong enough to," Hugh claimed.
"Remember last time you tried that?" Picking up his fork, Ronin pointed the utensil toward the tavern doors, where they had last seen Lloyd. "You can't take the magic out of the magician."
"No," Hugh murmured, gazing in the direction Ariana had left, "but I can take the wand."
Ronin began to chuckle again. "You're forgetting one thing," he said. "Out of a wand comes flowers."
"What are you saying?" Hugh prompted, getting frustrated.
Ronin heaved a sigh. "I'm saying that if she gets mushy, you'll get mushy, you'll forget what you're doing and abandon the mission altogether. So you better step up your game, and focus on what's truly important. I know she can break you."
Hugh raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
A cocky grin crossed Ronin's face. "Because you care too much."