Ash stands a good distance from a school.
I followed him here and now we look like we are stalking the school, leaning behind a building.
I am besides him, regretting my choices in life.
The school is a two story building. The Federation does send some of its money towards funding these types of buildings and organizations. The biggest schools are found by the capital.
This one is pretty humble, all things considered. Made of wood, seems to be an old building that has been kept floating.
"Can you tell me why we stopped here?"
"School is about to be over."
"I can tell… why are we stalking?"
He stares back at me for a few seconds, and I could feel the murderous intent in his gaze.
"I didn't force you to come.". He answers when his gaze returns to the entrance of the school.
"Y-you told me to come."
What is it with this guy?!
"He is getting annoying… I hope he is not stalking that teacher… or worse." Karina comments.
I am this close to make my sword not be called Bloodless anymore.
Then, a loud bell echoed from the building and several cheerful and childish screams came from the building. Seems that, even in this world, escaping the clutches of the local educational system is still something to be happy about.
Ash pushes himself more against the building, hiding his body even more from possible exposure.
"If we tell the guards it was his idea will we get less jail time?" Karina asks. She looks as creeped out as I am from the whole situation.
Then, rushing out of the building, a wave of children comes out while playing and cheering that they are free once more.
And behind them, yelling…
"Don't run! And be careful on your way home!" Leiva screams orders and indications at the running youth.
"There she is… she is safe." I comment.
"Go." Ash says.
"What?"
"I said go and speak with her!"
"Are you a secret admirer or something?"
"Just go and ask her if she has noticed something weird or if she has been threatened!"
"Sigh… fine! You better explain to me what is happening after this!" I demand.
I walk with my hands grabbing my arms inside my sleeves. This is a Kimono, I get to use it like that.
Leiva doesn't see me until I am very close to her. I have to dodge a few kids that run past me while playing some odd game of catch.
I prepare my dialogue when…
Leiva sees me, and I can see her face going white and her eyes wide. I stop when I see her reaction and trembling gaze towards me, catching me by surprise, only to then run inside the building.
"What the…" I ask in confusion. I look behind me but I don't see anyone suspicious, only the normal crows that are walking around the street.
"What did you do?" Karina asks.
"What?! You are always with me! If I did something you would know!"
"Yet she ran the moment she saw you. So, are you catching up to her to ask what is happening?"
I am back to my normal speed, so I have to hope I am fast enough to catch up to her. I curse by saying "shit" and start to run inside of the building.
Something happened to her as that was a very different reaction than yesterday. She even asked me if I could come visit her class with Aurelia to teach them about our species, but now she seems scared of something.
The interior of the school is a series of corridors and classrooms that are just now empty. It is a very turned off color scheme, dominated by the wooden walls and floors with no decorations on the walls.
I am managing to see Leiva run past a corner. I am keeping up with her, even when she is still running fast. Whatever is happening, she is running for her life.
I turn.
I see her go into a room.
I manage to break and go inside the room.
It is a classroom.
"Don't move!"
I hear her voice from the end of the room.
When I turn around I see her holding a wand, hunched over, using a desk as cover. The wand is pointed at me. She is panting and looking anxious.
I keep my calm, although I have no idea what kind of wand that is.
"Hey, I am not here to hurt you."
She takes a few moments to look at me. Then her eyes go wide again.
"Y-you… I remember you! From yesterday!" She lowers her wand. Then she panics. "N-no! You have to leave! You will get in danger! Just leave!"
"What is going on?"
Her voice is desperate. I try to approach.
"No! They are here for me! You don't have to get involved!" She screams once more.
Wait… is this like with the lich?
I put my hand on Bloodless just in case.
"Don't worry about me. I came here to check on you. If you are in danger, just tell me and I can help you."
"You don't get it! They are powerful people! I don't know what they want from me! But they have been chasing me for a while!"
"Powerful people?" Who did she make angry?
She seems to be about to start crying.
"Okay." I get further into the room. "Let me get you out of here and I will see you are safe. I have some questions to ask…"
Her eyes go behind me, to the entrance of the classroom. Her mouth goes open like she is trying to say something but nothing out. She is shaking.
She is afraid of something behind me.
"Well, you were hard to find, miss." A voice behind me speaks.
When I turn around three people enter the room. The one that spoke was a tall man with white hair, wearing a green tunic and his eyes are hard to see. They are permanently squinted, and I can barely see the pupils from this distance.
He is smirking, like a threat.
"So, your choice, miss. Easy way or hard way."