Chapter Text
"How did you-.....why.." All of Arthur's questions tried to leave his mouth all at once making him sound like a rambling buffoon til one question was able to be understood. "What?!" He unintentionally yelled in her face due to how close they were.
Akki let out a sigh and took a step back while wiping his spit off her face. "I'm looking for my brother and I ask for your assistance." Her tone remained calm as she stared at him.
"B-But why? Why me?"
"You are an angel. Is it not your job to help those in need?" She questioned as if what she said was common knowledge, tilting her head in confusion.
Arthur stared at her for a moment before placing his hand to his forehead and throwing his head back in laughter. She was taken aback not expecting this reaction. "That's not how most angels are anymore." He began to explain, his laughter calming down. "Maybe in the past but...all they care about are themselves.." He turned his gaze away as if ashamed of what he said.
"Do you?" She asked softly.
"Huh?" He blinked now staring at her.
"Do you only care about yourself?" She repeated with the same tone.
"No, of course not! I care deeply for my friends!" He shouted as if he was just insulted only to lower his voice to a mutter, "More than myself..." He glanced back at Akki and blushed when he saw her give him a soft, sincere smile.
"That is why I asked you. I have been traveling a long while now and met many different people. I am able to tell what type of person one is, atleast I believe I can, by speaking to them." She shyly rubbed the back of her head never one to brag or talk about herself. "You never took me for someone who would not help someone."
"Is that how you knew I was an angel?" He asked curiously.
"No." She turned around, taking two casual steps forward before turning her head towards him with a smile on her face while tapping her nose. "Your scent did."
Arthur stared blankly at her before lifting his arm to his nose, giving it a light sniff.
Akki covered her mouth, giggling, and shook her head. "You will not be able to smell your own scent for we are surrounded by it. Angel, human, or demon; they all have distinct smell to them. Give it a try sometime." She turned around to face him when something shiny and out of place caught her eye. She moved towards it and bent down by his fireplace picking up a golden sword. She gently laid in her lap as she ran her hand over the top of the blade to the hilt, her eyes wide. "You..you are a warrior?" She lifted her head to look back at him.
"No."
It was Akki's turn to look confused as she stood to her feet, sword in hand. "Wait, what?"
"I'm not a warrior or a fighter. Long story short; I'm just a tinker who was sent to earth by accident..on purpose?" He glanced upward in thought wondering if it really was an accident but then again, the orb never made mistakes. "I don't know how to fight, properly that is." The sound of laughter interrupted his thoughts. He clenched his fists thinking she was mocking him until she stopped, noticing he wasn't smiling.
"You are serious...but to send an angel with no combat training that...that is suicide! To send one of their own to earth like that...it is disgraceful." She raised her voice becoming angered at the thought while Arthur could only watch her, a sudden thought coming to him. "She seems to know a bit about angels..maybe she's read about them? Though it seems she knows about things that even I don't know." He opened his mouth to ask her but was interrupted when she held the sword out to him
"How about this: You help me look for my brother and I will train you to fight. Does that sound fair?"
"Really? You would do that? You know how to fight?"
"I have learned a few things here and there on my travels; I can handle myself." She pointed at herself, smiling. "And of course, I never go back on my word."
"Wow! This is fantastic! I can't wait to tell the others!"
"No!"
Arthur froze abruptly at her sudden shout. "Huh?"
"You cannot tell anyone. My teachings are private and I prefer to keep them that way. You have to trust me." She noticed the nervous doubt on his face and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Please, believe in me...If you are unsure I will give you time to think about it."
He stared at her for a moment before nodding his answer. "Ok."
She gave him a small smile before turning towards the door. "I will give you three days to decide. When you have your answer we will meet in the same area you found me. If you get lost then listen for the song in the wind."
"Wait, you're not staying here?"
She shook her head as she opened the door. "I prefer the outdoors. Do not worry, I will be safe. Til we meet again, my friend." She walked out heading back into the forest.
Arthur watched her leave into the forest when a sudden thought smacked him in the face. "Wait!" He called out to her. "You never!...told me what he looks like.." He hung his head knowing she was already out of earshot and out of sight. He closed the door and leaned against it as his mind registered what just happened, his eyes wandering over to his sword. He stared at it for a short moment, it seeming almost alien to him just sitting there, as if it was the very first time he laid eyes on it. His stomach interrupted his thoughts, again, and it was then he realized that he hadn't eaten yet. He opened the door and left for the hotel, not giving the sword a second thought for the rest of the day.
~~~~~~ Next Day~~~~~~
Arthur was doing his normal work routine but today he had a guest. Due to the hotel beginning to become quiet once more Vivi came to his shop to check on him; and by check he means hide from Mystery before he 'magically' found chores for her to do.
"So that was the guest Lewis was talking about." Vivi said after Arthur's explanation about why he took so long in the woods leaving the little...conversation they had in his shop out of it. "She was pretty." Vivi commented idly while glancing at him to try and get a response but all she received was a, "Mhmm." from Arthur who seemed to be lost in thought. She pouted at the lack of conversation so she leaned close to him, just staring at him, as he leaned back in his chair unaware of how close she was til he woke from his thoughts to see her mere inches from his face. He leaned back a little too far and fell over with a startled yell.
Vivi's laughter filled the shop while Arthur laid on the ground with his feet stuck in the air, mouth hung open and wide eyed. A soft growl escaped his lips as he rolled out of the chair and stood to his feet, face red in embarrassment and a hint of anger. He pointed a finger ready to yell at her til his anger suddenly went away,returning to his thoughts. "Vi..can I ask you something?"
Her laughter calmed when she noticed the soft, timid tone to his voice. "Sure, is something wrong?"
He rubbed his arm nervously. The whole time he was thinking of a way to bring up Akki's training proposal without actually revealing it but he was never really good at keeping secrets to begin with. "Do you...do you think I need protecting?"
Vivi gave him a blank look but shook her head, now having a look of confusion instead. "Where is this coming from all of a sudden?" She asked curiously.
Arthur hunched his shoulders, his eyes nervously traveling to his untouched sword. Vivi followed his eyes as they fell upon the weapon. "Your sword? There hasn't been a need to use it. It's been peaceful and quiet around these parts for so long I'm beginning to think Mystery is getting bored." Vi chuckled but noticed his expression hadn't changed. "I think you have nothing to worry about." She gave him a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder.
Despite knowing she was avoiding the question he returned the smile as she turned and left. "So it's true. They think I'm weak.." Arthur sighed as his eyes wandered over to his sword again and moved towards it, picking it up. Different scenarios played in his mind of what it would of been like if he knew how to properly fight with a sword. He would of been able to fight alongside his friends instead of cowering away like a weakling. Maybe...just maybe he'd still have his wings to this day..maybe things would have ended differently. He shook his head as he held his sword out in front of him; imagining an enemy before him and swung downwards with a, "Hi-yah!"
He was beginning to get a feel for it, copying the moves he could remember the angel warriors do while they were training. After helping his uncle out with whatever job they had to do he would sneak off to nap or to watch the warriors train, fascinated with their movements and how cool they looked.
A sudden yell startled him, causing him to lose his grip mid-swing; the sword now mid-air above him. Arthur covered his head with his arms bracing for impact but when nothing happened he dared a peek and saw Lewis catching the sword, his hand around the blade, and immediately threw it aside.
"Arthur, what were you doing?! You could of gotten hurt!" Lewis stared down at him, worry and panic in his eyes.
Arthur opened his mouth to say something but decided against it, instead pointing at Lewis' hand. "Are you ok?"
Lewis sighed while nodding his head, flexing his hand feeling a slight sting from contact with the blade. Despite it's lack of use it was still a holy item and contact with the sharp end usually meant bad things for demons like him. "The blade seems dull so thankfully no blood was drawn." He stared down at his friend feeling him grab his hand and look at it. "What were you doing with the sword, Arthur?" Lewis asked again but with a more calm voice.
"I don't know..just messing around, I suppose." He began to feel guilty that Lewis got hurt, even if it was just a minor injury.
"It's a dangerous weapon. You could get hurt if you don't know how to properly handle it; and you don't." Lewis wasn't trying to sound harsh but he knew Arthur sometimes acted without thinking, specially when it came to his own health. "It's a good thing I was here or else who knows what might have happened." Lewis said quickly with a smile on his face, thinking he was looking out for Arthur's well being.
But of course, he didn't take it that way.
Arthur blinked in surprise at his words. "So..even Lewis thinks I can't handle my own, that I need protecting too. Figures.." He walked over to the sword and picked it up, looking it over as his mind wandered once more.
Lewis watching him curiously. From the time he's known Arthur he never showed interest in the sword, never gave it a second thought. So why now? Why was he showing interest in it? He suddenly grew nervous as his friend stared at the weapon in his hand but blinked when Arthur turned to him, smiling. "Sorry for worrying you. I won't play with it anymore." He set the sword down at it's rightful place by the fire.
Lewis felt relief from hearing that and returned the smile. "Glad to hear that. Now come, Mystery has a job for all of us." Lewis put his arm around Arthur's shoulder as he lead him out of the shop.
"That doesn't sound good." Arthur gave a nervous chuckle as they made their way to the hotel.
~~~~~~
It was the third and final day
Akki sat on a rock in the clearing she told him she would be at, playing a soft song on her flute to pass the time.
"You know he may not show up. His body is too scrawny and he probably has not even held a weapon before. What were those angels thinking??"
She removed the flute from her lips with a sigh. "Calm down..perhaps they knew something we do not. He has survived this long. There may be something in him that we do not see yet."
"I still think he is not going to show. What will you do if he does not?"
"I will continue my search. He is close, I can feel it. My search is close to an end." She said softly holding the flute close to her chest. Her inner thoughts finally calmed, she placed the flute back to her lips and took a deep breath when the sound of crunching snow filled her ears. She turned her head in the direction and let out a soft sigh, her shoulders relaxing from tension she didn't realize she had, a small smile crossing her face.
Arthur stood at the end of the clearing, where he first saw her, sword in hand and a determined fire in his eyes.
Her smile widened at the look and she stood, facing him completely.
"Well then, let us begin."