After a couple days of walking, Ajax and Ryizen arrive at the nearest town.
The town gates loom ahead weathered wood, rusted hinges, and the scent of smoke and street food thick in the air. Guards eye both of them lazily from their posts, but don't bother stopping them.
Ryizen stretches, wincing at his still healing wounds.
"Don't you wanna go to a doctor or something? I mean your injuries still technically haven't been healed yet." Ajax suggests.
Ryizen scoffs.
"I've had worse. I'm fine."
"If you say so. I'm not gonna argue." Ajax says simply shrugging his shoulders.
Ryizen grins.
"Damn right you're not."
"The town seems pretty lively." Ajax says as he continues walking.
Ryizen glances up at the bustling streets, eyes narrowing.
"Yeah lively and noisy. Guess the inns' a good place to start."
"Guess so." Ajax says.
Ryizen walks ahead.
"Of course you wanna drink." Ajax snickers
Ryizen smirks.
"What, you scared?"
"Nah I'm just not a drinker." Ajax bluntly states.
Ryizen stops short, glancing back with a raised eyebrow.
"Seriously? You some kind of monk?"
"What the hell is that?" Ajax says tilting his head.
Ryizen snorts.
"A monk. You know, the kind that swears off violence and any fun?"
"No, I just don't drink." Ajax says shaking his head
Ryizen shrugs, turning back to the street.
"Suit yourself, then. More for me."
"Whatever." Ajax says yet he does follow him into the bar.
Ryizen walks ahead clearly familiar with the town's layout heading straight for a weathered wooden tavern with a cracked sign: The Drunken Boar.
And a few rough looking souls nursing drinks, some gripping swords, others nursing fresh bruises.
Ryizen slides onto a stool and motions the bartender over.
"Two mugs."
He smirks at Ajax.
"One for you to hold."
"Yeah cause it's totally gonna stay in my hand." Ajax chuckles.
Ryizen smirks as the bartender slides a frothing mug toward him.
"Hey, miracles happen."
He takes a deep swig of his own drink, then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, eyeing the crowd.
"So who's first?"
His gaze lingers on the quiet woman with rebellion tattoos then flicks to the scarred veteran, sizing them up like pieces on a board.
"Your call. But pick fast. I'm not babysitting all night."
"Yeah, all these people seem boring. They don't seem any fun to be around." Ajax bluntly states.
Ryizen snorts.
"You're too picky."
"Hey, it's my group and I say they all stink!" Ajax says.
"You're joking right?" Ryizen says his eye slightly twitching. "We came all this way and none of them catch your interest?" Ryizen says.
"Yep." Ajax says swirling the drink around in his mug.
"I didn't spend all those days walking and with no bed for you to be a picky dumbass and not able to find anyone of interest" Ryizen snarls, taking a big gulp of his drink.
"Well I didn't say we'd find some people with ease now did I?" Ajax says, rolling his eyes.
"Well I didn't expect it to be this damn difficult. Not even one good looking recruit at this bar?" Ryizen questions.
"Well I bet they all have their own stories. They just don't intrigue me." Ajax says simply.
Ryizen looks almost offended.
"They don't 'intrigue' you?"
"Yeah they don't." Ajax says simply again
Ryizen rolls his eyes again.
"You're impossible to please, you know that?"
"Of course." Ajax says chuckling.
Ryizen grumbles, sipping more of his drink.
"I was hoping for a bit more fun on this trip, you know."
"What c'mon I'm having a blast!" Ajax cheers.
Ryizen scoffs, swirling his drink.
"Yeah, well, next time you carry the bruises."
"Hmm not my fault you got captured now is it?" Ajax teases.
Ryizen glares at Ajax.
"Oh, shut up."
Suddenly a girl around 20 bursts into the bar and runs into the back.
Ryizen perks up, turning to watch the girl rush past them.
"Hey you see that?"
"What? Oh yeah, just some girl." Ajax says absentmindedly.
Ryizen smirks.
"Didn't seem like just 'some girl' to me."
"What are you tryna say?" Ajax says.
Ryizen raises an eyebrow, a smirk still
playing on his face.
"Just that you seemed pretty focused on her."
"Don't know what yah mean." Ajax says
Ryizen chuckles, clearly enjoying this.
"Uh huh. You were watching her pretty closely."
A couple seconds later a couple of bounty hunters storm into the area.
Ryizen's smirk fades, eyes narrowing.
"Bounty hunters? This should be interesting."
"Oh wonder if they're looking for that girl." Ajax says perking up.
Ryizen leans back slightly, watching the bounty hunters scan the room.
Then one of them slams a fist onto the
bar.
"Where is she?!"
Ryizen smirks again, glancing at Ajax.
"Guess we're about to find out."
"Hmm what are you two looking for?" Ajax says not looking at the bounty hunters.
The largest bounty hunter turns scarred, missing an ear and stares down at Ajax.
"A thief. Small. Fast. Stole something that doesn't belong to her."
Ryizen drums his fingers on the bar, feigning boredom.
"Lots of thieves in a place like this. You got a name?"
The bounty hunter's grin splits wide revealing filed teeth.
"Oh she goes by 'Rumi' these days."
Ryizen freezes.
"Yeah I can't say I've seen her." Ajax says leaning back.
The bounty hunter sneers.
"Cut the crap. You see a girl run past here, right? That damn Rumi. You better hand her over before this gets bloody."
"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't but I don't think chasing after some girl is very manly, y'know?" Ajax says eyes getting very threatening.
The bounty hunter's face twists in anger.
"Not 'manly"?! Who do you think you are?!"
"Ajax Nozami. And I'll find Nelazaru Kimmegona's sword." Ajax declares.
The bounty hunter freezes eyes widening.
"Ajax... Nozami?" "Ajax…"
A hush falls over the tavern.
Even Ryizen stiffens.
The hunters aren't looking for Rumi
anymore.
They're looking at Ajax.
The leader licks his lips.
"Well well if it isn't the Ronin who took Black Viper's head."
Steel whispers as knives, swords, and
chains slide free.
Ryizen exhales.
"Damn it, Ajax."
"So what's the major issue?" Ajax says tilting his head.
The bounty hunter spits on the ground.
"Issue? How about the fact that you offed the Black Viper! Now this entire country's out for your blood, and we're making a pretty profit off dragging your ass back in."
"Yeah well I haven't seen a bounty for me yet so it's probably just some local gig." Ajax says waving them off.
The bounty hunter scoffs.
"Oh, it's more than a local gig.' Black Viper's bounty goes way past this town. Hell, most of this kingdom's probably got word."
Ryizen rubs a hand over his face.
"Damn it, Ajax. This isn't good."
"But to answer your question, the Rumi girl I just saw her running to that horse carriage station behind the inn." Ajax says pointing behind the inn.
The bounty hunter's eyes widen. Then he grins cruel and feral.
"Finally. A straight answer."
He signals the others with a nod, and they all head for the door leaving Ajax, Ryizen, and the now empty tavern.
Ryizen turns to Ajax, eyes hard and angry.
"What the HELL were you thinking, telling them you saw her?!"
"Well cause I was lying." Ajax says bluntly
Ryizen glares at him.
"You're a dumbass, you know that?"
"Hey it got them off our ass didn't it?" Ajax says laughing
Ryizen rolls his eyes but there's a ghost of a smirk there.
"Yeah, yeah. You're a real smartass, Ajax."
"Jeez, you're a piece of work. Why did you have to tell them I went over there? A feminine voice calls out
Ryizen stiffens. Turns. His eyes widen.
There, behind them leaning against the tavern wall. Wearing a blood red kimono with golden flames dancing up the sleeves stands the girl they saw earlier. Short, dark hair framing a sharp, angry face.
Rumi.
End of chapter