After the nobleman and the explosive beast, the trios journey for the next few days was uneventful, nothing out of just walking and camping. They all got to know more about eachother, and before Rika even knew it. She was no longer even thinking about her guild anymore.
She had begun to enjoy the boys company, so as they sat together cooking food, Rika begun scrapbooking their adventures while keeping Polaroids with her camera.
Also she couldn't help but be impressed watching Kaito and Dante sparring matches with eachother, she could see every day Dante improving with his sword. Also witnessing Kaito's mastery with his weapon, which was also shocking to see.
Before long they had arrived in yet another town. This one's a simple one, the town of Marin, nothing too spectacular about it but, it had a barrier.
Dante stretches, "alright, everyone know what they're gonna buy?" He pulls out his wallet nodding. "We're pretty broke actually, i'm just gonna go grab a room at the inn." He says.
Rika cheers, "we're staying the night?! Thank goodness, last night there was a monster staring at me from the tree line, could barely sleep!" She yells.
They drop their bags off in the inn room, rather rude way even just throwing them everywhere, Rika leaves the room first, mentioning something about looking at the town.
Dante once again seems deep in his own thoughts. Something Kaito quickly takes note of sitting in the bed next to him. "What's wrong Dante?" Kaito asks.
Dante looks over at him. "Well it's just... is making no progress towards your treasure not bothering you?" He takes off his shoulder armor tossing it in the ground.
Kaito laughs while shaking his head. "I couldn't be upset, every day something fun is happening and i'm always doing something new!"
Dante smiled looking at Kaito, he should've expected such a simple answer from him. Then he reached his hand into his bag.
Dante looks around and sighs deeply. "Dude our Blastie is gone." He says to Kaito his annoyance obvious across his face.
Dante calms himself as Kaito laughs. "At least I paid our bill ahead of time." He says thanking his quick thinking. Kaito stretches. "You think Rika knows what happened?" Kaito asks.
Dante nods. "She's behind this." He says as he goes to open the inn door. But there she is. Rika standing at the door looking quite shocked. "Oh uhm hey guys...." She awkwardly greets.
Dante and Kaito both look at her with their arms at their hips, looking like annoyed mothers! "Where'd the Blastie go Rika!" They shout and Rika whines.
"I uhm, went gambling...." she nervously smiles, while pressing the tips of her fingers together. Dante shakes his head. "So you lost it all?" He says and she nods her head slowly.
"What's gambling?" Kaito asks. "Nothing for you to worry about Kaito." Dante answers quickly. Rika sighs "but it's ok! We can get the money back!" Rika shouts.
With a quick, "how" the boys follow Rika to a shop. "Alright so listen the guy who runs this shop is loaded." Rika explains. They walk into the shop.
"Welcome to my shop, what have you all come in search for." The weak looking man greets them warmly.
Rika pulls the boys in. "Alright guys, huddle."
Kaito wonders what Rika's plan is. Perhaps they were about to ask for a quest.
"We gotta rob this guy." Rika says without an ounce of hesitation. "NO!" Dante shouts. Rika whines. "Why not, look at this dude, he's a total weakling." Rika laughs. "No, he can totally beat us up, I don't know about you but I don't want a beating!" Dante rebuttals.
The man tilts his head. "You three know I can hear you right?" He asks. "Hey shut it, you can't hear us in the huddle!" Rika yells back at him.
"Listen with or without you guys, i'm gonna rob this guy." Rika says.
Gearing herself up before she just charges at the guy. And quickly the three of them...
"SIT IN YOUR CELL AND WAIT YOU FILTHY CHILDREN!"
End up in a jail cell. Dante and Kaito look at Rika with bruises and disappointment on their faces as she avoids their gazes.
Rika then gets a smug smirk on her face. "We should do a jailbreak!" She shouts. "Yayyy jailbreak!" Kaito celebrates. "No! No!" Dante shouts. "I've had enough of your ideas today!" Dante turns to his side as Kaito plays a harmonica.
"Where did you get a harmonica!" Dante shouts as he throws Kaito's harmonica. Rika had stolen it earlier.
Rika tosses her arms to the side. "How was I supposed to know the guy could fight like that!?" Rika yells back in defense of herself. "Or Rika. Hear me out here, we not rob people??!" Dante shouts back but Rika nods he's got her there.
The guards come back banging on the gates. "White hair you're being summoned!" They shout as they drag Kaito out from the cell.
"Wait come back! Free me too this guy forced me into this!" Rika shouts pinning it all on Dante. The guards still leave without even glancing at her. "Seriously?" Dante questions.
A bag is forcefully thrown onto Kaito's head, without his sight he thrashes around in an attempt to break their hold on him. To no avail they still drag him away. He's thrown into a chair and they snatch the bag from his head tugging his hair a bit.
"Hey stop being so aggressive or i'll!" Kaito hesitates. "Or i'll...." Kaito's breath is caught in his throat, as a lump forms into his throat. He cannot believe the sight that sat before him and he wished it was a bad dream.
Before him sat the esteemed lady Nyla, she sat with her back straight, arms folded, legs crossed and her fingers interlocked in front of her resting on the table.
Kaito is unsure of even what to say. Seeing her here he wonders if the reason there's so many guards is because she told on him for being a Kaya. Is he now being hunted? A tinge or annoyance plays on his face knowing Moon would be disappointed he didn't even last a month.
"Kaito." Nylas voice breaks the silence. He doesn't respond, or rather he can't words won't come to him. "I have some questions for you." She says again with no response from Kaito. He once again stays silent annoying her.
She waves her hand. "Guards leave us." Nyla says. "But young miss, leaving you alone with this ruffian could be dangerous!" The guard says back. Nyla looks at him with a fierce look. "I did not ask for you to speak, I said leave us." Nyla says in a cold demanding tone.
"Is it true?" Nyla asks plainly. "What do you mean?" Kaito asks. "Are you truly one of those people." Nyla says and Kaito's look of shock tells her what she needs to know.
"I didn't intend to hurt you with my words, I don't think you fully grasp just what Kaya is. Being accused of being on is no small matter." Nyla explains.
Kaito swallows the lump in his throat. "You already told me, what you think about people like me, why follow me around, do you want to turn me in?" Kaito asks her.
Nyla shakes her head before switching her crossed legs. "No." Nyla calmly responds but she can hold her graceful act in no longer.
She slams her hands onto the table and stands up. "I trusted you, you gave me the first glimpse of what a free simple life would look like! I don't think you're evil but I was heavily caught off guard by the revelation of what you are!" Nyla shouts before she pulls out notes.
"I've been following your trail since you left Mozam and you're exploits may I say make no sense, for someone evil that is, you're just helping people for no reason, sure you're a bit chaotic but you aren't malicious!" Nyla yells before she clears her throat.
"Kaito I want you to hear me. I sincerely mean when I say, even if you are a Kaya I still do trust you." Nyla says her words surprising Kaito.
"I hoped you could forgive both me and my rudeness to you, I honestly had no intention of hurting you, i was scared from all the rumors, and also my personal experiences with the Kaya, but I can see that you are not a malicious person." Nyla says.
She then stands and then extends a hand to him. "Kaito I hope you can bring yourself to forgive me." Nyla sincerely request of him.
Kaito hasn't thought of someone actually accepting the Kaya as a possibility. The scar on his eye was supposed proof of that. But in front of him lie a girl who has history with his father, she stood here still holding her hand out to him. Wiping the memory from the young man who scarred his face.
"Of course I forgive you Nyla! You and Yukki were my first friends!" Kaito happily says. Nyla feels relieved hearing this. "That's reassuring to hear, i'll still work on getting that unifates piece for you, that should suffice as a proper apology." Nyla proudly says.
Kaito very literally leaps into the hair and he jumps onto Nyla hugging her. Such an act like touching someone as esteemed of herself would lead to direct execution. But since it was her friend Kaito. One who unlike any other person in her life. Treated her as just another person. She would allow it.
She hugs him tightly, cherishing her first real friend. Kaito pulls off but Nyla holds him for a bit longer. "Oh I almost forgot, Nyla you've gotta meet my friends!" Kaito says.
The door to the room their in burst open. Kaito gets on guard but Rika and Dante fly in.
"Kaito we're here to save you, all the guards went outside and Rika got us out of the cell." Dante explains. Rika sneaks around peeking around all the corner. "GET TO THE BOAT!" Rika yells. Kaito laughs.
"These are my friends that I've been traveling with." Kaito says.
Dante's jaw drops to the ground. "How do you know the esteemed lady herself!?" Dante shouts but then he realizes Nyla is holding Kaito's arm. "And to be so friendly with her?!" Dante yells.
Rika notices too. "Woah Noble blonde lady really is here." She says. Nyla gracefully smiles holding her high esteem mask in front of the new comers. "It's very nice to meet the two of you." Nyla shakes Dante's hand. Her soft hand and slender fingers cause Dante to fall to the ground in shock.
Rika shivers. "She gives off so much cutesy aroma it's infectious!"
Nyla laughs. "You're friends are very silly, Kaito." Nyla giggles. Kaito nods. "Yeah they're the best!" He says proudly and Rika blushes. "Oh Kaito please stop flattering me!" Rika says.
Rika then tosses her arm around Nyla. "You're not too bad yourself you know?" Rika says to Nyla as she slides one of her bracelets off.
Nyla slides away from Rika.
Nyla follows them as Kaito and Rika carry Dante from the building. "It really was nice seeing you again, will you be departing from Trays soon?" Nyla innocently asks.
Kaito nods. "Yeah we didn't find anything here." Kaito responds.
Nyla sighs. "You're always moving around." Nyla says before letting out a playful laugh. Rika taps her with her elbow. "Couldn't agree more, the guy never sits still!"
"May I borrow your map?" Nyla asks and they pass it over. "You should head to the town i'll be in, it's where my father stores all of his treasures, i'm sorry it's a bit far but you should arrive in a month or so." Nyla says as she marks the town on the map.
Kaito smiles. "Thanks Nyla, really!" Kaito says.
Nyla then nervously looks away while messing with her hands. "It's uhm also around my birthday too so when you arrive, I was wondering if you want to celebrate it with me." Nyla extends an invitation.
Rika notices why she's so nervous but Kaito's clueless so she laughs. Kaito nods. "Of course, we'll come!" Kaito agrees. Nyla is delighted. "I'm relieved to hear that!" She says.
Dante wakes up. "What happened?" He asks and Rika drops him. Kaito catches him up. "Oh that's great, a goal us." Dante says.
Nyla shakes her head. "It wasn't easy getting away unattended by my father. Turmoil between the guilds and empire are rising but of course that's nothing new." She explains.
Kaito hugs her again. "Thank you for coming at all!" He says his friendliness still shocking Dante. Nyla blushes and turns away. "Oh it's truly no big deal!" She says like a giddy child. Dante is surprised the noble lady has a crush on Kaito!
Nyla then smiles. "I'll pay for your inn tonight, also any supplies you may need while you travel to Furona!" Nyla offers with her grace.