Chapter Text
Going back in the forest while the sky turned into a beautiful orange sunset. The girl was walking back to her home while she was watching her surroundings with appreciation. She didn’t really care if she didn't have her bucket and the fish rod, she could get them back the next day.
Once she arrived home, the peasant relaxed in a chair while she talked to herself about what happened with that prince guy. She already knew who the prince was, she just wanted to tease him, but things didn’t really turn out as she expected.
Sighs “Today…was interesting, I guess… I think I should reinforce the traps outside in case that idiot comes after me, or his guards if he's too cowardly to send them to face me again. But, it’s getting late… doing it at night might be dangerous…” The girl took a sip from a cup she poured herself while watching the sunset turn into night through the window.
“I will go fishing again tomorrow… If I face that stupid arrogant prince guy again… I’m gonna be ready…” The commoner glanced sideways at something metallic that managed to create a flash of reflection from the rays of the fading light. She walked towards the shiny thing and grabbed the hilt, which turned out to be a sword when she pulled it out. She ran her hand delicately and gently over the metal blade, showing that she cares for the sharp object.
“That guy is very stupid and conceited.” chuckles “He tries to be threatening, but it doesn't work, well, at least not with me, although I do feel some distrust because I don't really know what he's capable of…” Sighs. The girl looked at the door of her cabin. “Perhaps some evening entertainment will help me relax.”
The commoner left her house and walked in the forest now covered by the colors of the night holding the blade.
“Okay…just, be cautious…” Although she went out to train a little to relax, she couldn't let her guard down, since the forest at night is not a very friendly place, and the girl knew that very well.
This youth was walking through the woods when she heard a rustling sound nearby. She covered part of her face with a red scarf to avoid being recognized and she unsheathed her sword, preparing herself in case whatever made that noise was hostile and attacked her.
The peasant remained on guard, keeping completely silent to listen to her surroundings. The light of the full moon reflected on her sword; she focused on its edge and saw, among the trees, a pair of eyes reflected by the white moonlight. The creature among the woods lunged at the girl, but the commoner turned and ducked, keeping her sword raised, which caused the animal to squirm, wounding its legs and abdomen. The youth turned to the now-wounded creature and, without hesitation, stabbed it directly.
“Phew! That was close!...” The lass looked at the creature, which turned out to be a wild lynx. She checked if the corpse could have any issue, but the pelt seemed to be alright. The girl was going to pick up and take the lynx away, but she heard another, louder and deeper rustling sound. She knew it was a larger animal and that she wouldn't be able to fight it now, so she left the area empty-handed…
“...Dammit, I was about to take it with me....” The commoner left the lynx corpse and silently and cautiously, she didn't know what kind of animal it might be, but she knew it was dangerous. The youth arrived home and prepared her defenses before entering. She felt tired, so she finally decided to take a rest after running and fighting with a lynx that, unfortunately, she didn't manage to take with her.
In Goiky, dawn broke calmly, peacefully, and boringly, like every other morning. On one side, the skilled peasant lived peacefully in the forest; on the other, in the kingdom's palace, sat the prince, who was always woken very early by his faithful friend X.
“WAKE UP PRINCE FOUR!!! TODAY’S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!!” The yellow fellow entered the prince’s room shouting with encouragement.
Groans “Ugh! X! Shut up! It’s too early!” Four groaned as he covered himself with his pillow.
“Wake up sleeping beauty!!~ Your parents are waiting for you in the dining room!” Sniff “Do you..? Do you still smell like fish?! Why didn't you take a bath yesterday?”
“I was tired! Okay?! Ugh! Just five minutes more!” Four was irritated and annoyed; he just wanted to rest a little longer.
“But Four! They've been waiting for you for half an hour! You can't take any longer!” X exclaimed with anguish and impatience.
“AGH– WHAT?! DAMMIT! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER?!” The stubborn prince got up from his bed with a jolt and began to get ready as quickly as he could.
“I couldn't! I was doing other important things! Besides, you're too old to have to be woken up every morning!” The yellow variable exclaimed with anguish and some annoyance as he watched his friend get ready.
Four tripped while trying to put on a boot and fell to the ground; X helped him up and they quickly walked hurriedly through the corridors to the dining room.
“You have pending decrees with the council! They're expecting you at noon in the boardroom. You also need to check the notices from the western village; they say they're having gardening problems! And you need to see Captain Fifteen to deal with the social protests in the southern village!”
They both finally reached the dining room doors; the prince, trying to calm his nerves, took a deep breath before finally opening the doors and entering. Four opened the door and saw his parents waiting for him. He got nervous and avoided looking them directly in the eyes. Without thinking, he sits in the nearest chair and keeps his gaze averted from them. Next to him is X. Four had leaned on the table, resting one elbow on it and supporting his head with his hand, assuming a rather informal posture…
“Ahem…” The Queen Infinity cleared her throat, looking at Four skeptically.
The prince heard the “ahem” and looked at his parents, he realized what his posture was like and quickly settled down politely, becoming even more uneasy.
“Again. Late.” The queen said seriously, looking intently at her son.
“I–I uhh… I was... attending to some… charges…” Four said while anxiously avoiding looking at his parents
“What kind of, ‘charges’?" King 2763 said incredulously.
“I–I…Uhh… Policy… decree… uhm… charges…?” Four frowned apprehensively hoping his parents would believe him, X just slapped his forehead, frustrated at how terrible his friend was at lying.
“How many more lies will my son tell before I finally believe him?” The queen sighed disappointed and frustrated.
“Four, you're all grown up now, and you still act like a child!” The king shouted in frustration, slamming his fist on the table.
The prince flinched at the blow, he looked scared and felt even more nervous because of his parents, Four felt cornered and vulnerable. And X, worried about his friend, wanted to help him but couldn't interfere.
“I–I, I was–...” Four stumbled over his words because of his nerves, avoiding looking at the king and the queen, scratching the back of his neck, thinking about what to say.
“Four, You're 17 years old now, you can't keep being spoiled all the time, not anymore. You should already know how to manage the kingdom. There are even younger children who already rule their kingdoms without difficulty!” Infinity exclaimed, frustratedly belittling his son.
“You are an irresponsible prince, you don't take care of your duties, you are very conceited, and you don't take your royal status seriously.” 2763 spoke forcefully and angrily, telling their son he must stop acting so immaturely, and that frustrated them a lot, but it also worried them. They only wanted the best for his son; it’s just that they couldn’t express it in the right way.
“I–I, E–Everything is getting too difficult! It's too many responsibilities, it seems excessive! Why do I have to do everything alone?" The noble youth protested respectfully but still had a sense of trepidation; he didn't want to upset his parents any more than they already were.
“That's the life of royalty; you have to take responsibility and listen to your people. Being part of the royal family isn't all about luxuries and exclusivity. Besides, you have your friend X, you aren’t alone.” The queen explained with frustration, trying to make her son understand what it means to be royalty. The thing is, Four is so stubborn he won't be able to grasp everything in a single day.
“Finish your breakfast, and then you'll go look at the tasks you have to complete today.” King 2763 commanded.
Sighs “... Alright…” The little prince looked at the ground in defeat, then began to eat with obligatory politeness. X, regretting that he couldn't help Four, he just stayed and had breakfast anyway.
After breakfast, Four went to his room thinking about what his parents had told him. He felt frustrated and tired; he didn't want to deal with any of it. X silently accompanied him; he knew Four needed some space. The noble youth lay down on his bed defeated, X stood at the door watching him, not knowing what to say to help him.
“Uhh… ermm… Four?” The yellow variable stuttered nervously.
“What now, X…” Four sighed wearily, staring at the ceiling as he stayed on his bed.
“Uhm… You–”
“If you think I will do anything about that…” Sighs “...Nevermind…”
“Four, are you ok?... You know you can tell me whatever is happening to you…” X talked softly and worried. He knew his friend felt overwhelmed and pressured by his parents and the royal laws.
“It’s just…” Sighs “...This is all very difficult. To be honest, I don't feel ready to take the throne. Dad is right, I’m 17 and I am still acting so immature and stupid…” The depressed prince said, tired and overwhelmed, acknowledging that he did not feel ready to rule his kingdom.
“Four, don’t say that… You are capable of many things! You don't have to follow the path your parents want.” The yellow variable tried to cheer up his friend; he didn't like seeing him so discouraged and thinking he was worthless.
“It’s not just my parents, X! It’s the whole damn kingdom! The congress, the leaders, the troops, the villagers, everyone! Everyone expects me to govern! Everyone has faith in me! I can't let them down…” Four felt hopeless and exhausted; he didn't know what to do. The heir felt very lost and under pressure.
“And you won’t… You'll know how to do it when the time comes, you'll know how to do it your way.” The faithful friend said cheerfully, wanting to give his friend faith.
"I just I don't know how..." Sighs "I don't want to do anything right now..." After that, the depressed young man remained silent; he felt tired and didn't want to do anything else for the day.
Leaving the disconsolate young prince alone with his friend, everything in the village seemed to be in order. There were market stalls, villagers chatting, the occasional con artist—the usual scene. The youth who had splashed a bucket of fish on the kingdom's very own heir was calmly going about her business.
The girl was walking peacefully in the path carrying a bucket of fish from a week ago and greeting with pleasure and respect whoever she happened to cross paths with. Suddenly, someone bumps into the youth and gets soaked.
“Ack! What the hell?!” The girl fell to the ground and grumbled. She looked up to see who on yoyle had bumped into her, only to find it was just a youth peasant in a rush; he was carrying buckets with fish, which was why the girl got soaked.
“I–I’m sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you! It's just that I'm in a hurry!” The commoner apologized as he began to pick up the fish from the ground.
“Heh, no need to apologize, I was the one who didn’t see the path. Let me help you.” The lassie helped the youth with their fish.
“You don't have to do it, ma’am.”
“Yes I have, it was my fault, and I wanted to make it up to you. Look, here—take this fish I got; it’ll come in handy.”
“I–it’s a… Yoyle fish?! I thought they were extinct! These are worth a lot! Where did you get it?”
“Shhh! Keep your voice down! I only got it by fishing in a river; don't tell anyone else I gave you one of these fish, okay? Just... consider it an apology for bumping into you.”
“Thank you! And I’ll keep the secret. Thanks for the help; have a good day, maiden!” Once the young boy had his buckets of fish back, he hurried away; the girl waved goodbye from a distance, and she shook herself off a bit to dry—at least partially—before picking up her buckets and walking straight to the stall where she needed to go.
There were several stalls—some selling bread, others various goods or clothing, and others fish. The young fisherwoman headed toward one of them to deliver her catch, but before she could, she spotted the same boy she had run into just moments earlier.
“Hmm, so this kiddo works here, huh.” The lassie thought as she walked toward the fish–shelf. “Hi there, I've come to deliver some fish in exchange for money, if it's not too much trouble.” She greeted the vendor in front of her; he goes by the name Tree.
“What a surprise to see you here at this hour! Welcome back, Eva. With pleasure—just let me check the quality of the fish. ”
The girl handed the bucket to the vendor, Tree, who sat down and began checking the fish. The commoner, who was waiting patiently, looked sideways at the youth as he handed his fish to another vendor at the stall.
“Here you go, Sir Coiny; now give me my pay.”
“Hehe, calm down kiddo, in a moment.”
The young trader, who was waiting for his pay, realized that the lady he had bumped into earlier was there; he turned toward her to introduce himself properly (since he hadn't been able to do so before because he was in a rush).
“Oh! It looks like we’re seeing each other again, I want to apologize again for bumping into you again, maiden.”
“Hehe, I told ya there is no problem lil’ trader.”
“My name is Lighting and I always work hard for a better future for me and for the people I care for.”
“Well then, nice to meet ya, Sir Lightning. Many call me Eva.”
“Here you got kiddo, your change. Oh, it looks like you and my most loyal customer are finally meeting.”
“‘Loyal’, huh? How many times has she come here?”
“I always come here because it works out much better for me than other stalls. I do a lot of fishing, and sometimes I sell what I catch to Coiny and Tree, while other times I buy from them when I need to. It's strange that I haven't seen you before.”
“Well, I sometimes go in the mornings; that’s the time that works best for me.”
“Oh, right, Eva—it’s not very common to see you around here in the mornings; you usually fish at this time.”
“Uhh… I had an incident and lost my fishing rod and a bucket… I don’t want to talk about that…” Eva scratched the back of her neck, recalling with frustration that she had lost her fishing rod because of that stupid prince—and the worst part was that the rod had cost her a fortune.
“Okay, if you don’t want to, it's ok. By the way, you still owe me some fish in return for the favor I did for you three weeks ago, Eva.”
“Oh!... Rrright… Uh, I gave Tree a bucket of fresh fish. Maybe that’ll finally settle what I owe you.”
“Alright then, Tree! How is that fish? Is it fresh?”
“Weeeell, as a fish expert, I can tell you that these fish were taken from the river a week ago. They're fine, but they aren't exactly fresh.”
“Well, it looks like SOMEONE still owes me some FRESH FISH…”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait! Coiny! Come right now!”
“Huh? What’s up man?” The salesperson turned to his colleague with curiosity.
“Look!... It’s a Yoyle fish…”
“Wait–What?! You’re kidding, right?”
“I am not! Just look, dude!”
Tree pulled a dark, metallic-colored fish out of the bucket.
“Oh my Goiky… I thought they were already extinct... Eva! Where on the damn Goiky did you get a Yoyle fish?”
“I’ve got my secrets… I'll just say, I was lucky.~” Eva said proudly, showing off that she had a valuable fish.
“I'll give you 35 silver coins for just this fish!” Coiny exclaimed, starting to haggle; he was planning a scam…
“35!? Do you know how much a fishing rod cost me!? 75 silver coins!”
“And that's why I'm paying you 40 for the rest of the fish! Does that seem fair to you?”
“It would actually be 30 coins; the fish are fine, but as I said, since they’ve been around for a week, they aren't of the best quality.” Tree corrected Coiny; it seemed he already knew he wanted to haggle with Eva.
“A Yoyle fish is worth more than just 35 silver coins! It would be at least 100 gold ones!” Eva exclaimed in frustration because they wanted to give her less than what she earns.
“HA! As if we’d give you 100 gold coins!”
“Alright then, I’m not going to let myself get ripped off. I’ll go somewhere that actually gives me what a fish like this is really worth.” The fisher youth snatched the Yoyle fish and the bucket containing the other fish from Tree and Coiny. “Oh! I know! I'd better eat it!”
“W–WAIT WAIT! EVA! DON’T GO! WE CAN GIVE WHAT YOU DESERVE!”
“L–Look! W–we… We can give you 125 silver coins... We don't have any gold ones, so that's why we can't give you any…” Tree, even though he was calmer than Coiny, was still desperate for that Yoyle fish.
“PLUS!... WE CAN GIVE YOU A FISHING ROD! FOR FREE! D–Doesn’t that sound cool?..”
“Hmm… I still think it's not enough, but I accept. Still, the two of you owe me money.” The lassie agreed and gave the fish to both vendors, and both gave her their money and the fishing rod.
“Wow, I knew the Yoyle fish was worth a lot, but I didn't realize it was worth *that* much—enough to cause such a stir among sellers and buyers.” Lightning said as he watched the three people closing their deal. Coiny, after receiving the fish, approached Lightning, leaning into the stand.
“Look, kiddo. These fish are believed to be extinct; obviously, they are worth a lot.” Coiny looked both ways, then leaned in close to Lightning and whispered to him. “In fact, these fish can be worth up to 1,000 gold coins because they're so rare... so, don't tell that girl, Eva, but she got scammed—by me.” Winks. The swindler giggled because his plan worked.
“That’s…not good… Why did you scam a good person like Eva?...”
“A good person? She once started a fight over fish—all because I’d given her 15 copper coins for them, since they were of such poor quality!” The hustler spoke indignantly, recalling that moment as if it were a Cold War. “Listen, if you say anything to Eva about the Yoyle fish, I won't pay you anymore, and you'll have to go look for another job.”
Sighs “Okay… I will not say anything…” The youth reluctantly accepted, as he found it difficult to land a good job. Lightning watched the girl who had helped him leave the scene, unaware that she had been terribly swindled.
Eva was walking calmly through the forest, carrying her 125 coins and her new fishing rod, along with the bucket. Halfway there, she remembered the incident with the prince and thought about going to the river to see if her things were still there. “Should I go check if… I don’t know… I don’t have my sword right now…”
The youth paused to think deeply about whether it would be wise to return to the stream; she hesitated, but in the end, she decided to go to the stream after all. “Hm, never mind; I don't rely entirely on a sword to defend myself.”
It took her a while to reach the small, calm, beautiful, and relaxing small river—and on top of that, the sun was starting to set, but finally, she arrived at the place. “Ugh... He really broke my good rod... damn it. UGH, WHEN I SEE THAT STUPID PRINCE…”
The girl walked to the riverbank, gazing in defeat at her fishing rod—snapped in two—lying on the ground next to the bucket. The fish she had tossed out were gone; someone or some animal had likely taken them, though she didn't really mind.
Sighs “Whatever… I just walk back home and reinforce the traps and alarms.”
The lassie was walking back to her cabin calmly while observing the beautiful nature of the kingdom's forest around her.
Returning to the palace as nightfall began to set in, the prince was despondent, accompanied by the friend who never left his side and stayed with him the entire time. The noble youth stayed in his room all day, without wanting to do anything, ignoring once again his responsibilities as the prince of Goiky.
X wanted to cheer up his friend but didn't know how. Maybe he could try doing some activity that the noble guy enjoyed with him.
“Uhm… Oh! Do you… uhm, wanna hang out for a while? Or, what do you wanna do? Just the two of us!” X said enthusiastically, wanting to see his friend cheered up and happy.
“X, there is nothing that I want to–… Wait, there is something!” The prince jumped out of bed, now very eager, remembering something he wanted to do.
“Yeah? What is it?” The yellow variable asked curiously.
“Follow me!” Four grabbed X's hand and took him with him. The young prince hurried out of his room and headed for the castle exit.
“Woah! W–wait! Where are we going?” X exclaimed, surprised by his friend's spontaneous movement.
“We are– uh, just, trust me X!” The prince seemed desperate; whatever it was, he really wanted to do it.
“Uh–uhm…Okay!”
Both young algebraliens ran from the castle straight into the forest. X didn't know why he wanted to come to the forest; he didn't really see much point in it, other than it being a place full of dangers.
“W–wait! Four! Stop!” The yellow variable stopped before they both entered the woods.
“Ugh! What now?! We were about to enter the forest!”
“EXACTLY!! Do you even know what you're doing?! The forest is a dangerous place! There are criminals, predators, you can get lost there, there are dangerous plants!” X said, very scared and worried, not only for himself, but also for their friend.
“You're just exaggerating, I've been here before and nothing happened.”
“And what about the girl you told me about?”
“Meh, she's just an ordinary stupid peasant, maybe she knows how to defend herself, but so what? I have my powers! So it won't be a problem.”
“No, I won't let you go in there! As your lifelong best friend! I won't let you put yourself at risk because of your stubbornness!”
“X, c’mon! Just trust me... Just like I trust you… I won't let anything bad happen to either of us. I promise.” Four spoke gently as he extended his hand to his friend, offering him the chance to come with him.
Sighs “Fine… I will trust you.” X takes his friend's hand, and now they both begin walking through the forest.
They've been walking for several hours in the woods, and it's getting late. Little by little, the daylight fades, and the moon rises higher and higher.
“Uh, Four?... It's getting dark…” X was starting to worry, he clung to Four’s arm so they wouldn't separate.
“X! Personal space! You know what that means?!”
“I–I know but– It's getting dark… And I'm starting to get scared… We've been out for hours... Don't you think we'd better head back? ”
“Not right now—something tells me we're close. Look, if you're scared, just... Don't stray from me, okay?”
“...Okay…”
The sun had set, and there was no longer any light by which they could safely see the forest. The full moon had risen, and they were beginning to hear nocturnal insects like crickets. Four used a bit of his power to generate some light as they walked cautiously through the woods.
“We were supposed to have already reached the stream…” The prince complained as he looked around at the trees; there was no sound of any stream... Perhaps they were lost…
“I–I think we should go back to the castle…” The little variable spoke fearfully; he was becoming increasingly overwhelmed as they ventured deeper into the forest and night fell further with every passing second.
“Don’t be a coward, X! I know it’s somewhere! I–I think…” The noble youth might have been getting scared too, but he didn't show it, thanks to his stubborn pride.
“Four! There's a very fine line between bravery and stupidity—and you crossed it the moment we entered this forest!”
“Shhhh!” The young prince silenced his friend so he wouldn't make any noise.
“Did– Did you shush me?!”
“X! keep quiet… I heard something…”
“Uh… okay…”
Four had silenced his companion because he had heard an unusual noise... Well, they had never really been alone in the woods at night, so it was probably just some nocturnal insect they didn't recognize—or it could be something even worse…
CRACK!!
The sound of a snapping branch rang out... Both algebraliens tensed up, growing nervous. From the shadows, a bowstring was drawn taut... The tense prince caught the sound of the string stretching and sensed danger; he turned toward the noise and fired a fireball at its source. As the fireball vanished into the darkness, a cry of pain was heard—revealing that they were being ambushed amidst the shadows of the perilous forest night... The young prince gripped his friend’s hand tightly and sprinted away, knowing disaster would strike if they stayed. They hid in a thicket, keeping perfectly silent to avoid detection.
Footsteps could be heard in the darkness... there was more than one person out to attack them... if they were found... it would be the end, perhaps…
Elsewhere—not too deep within the forest—a young villager was in her cabin; she had set her traps and alarms but was feeling bored, so she decided to head out to train and take a walk under the light of the full moon. She stepped out hoping to find a bite to eat—perhaps hunt an animal along the way—or simply to hone her sword skills. However, after walking a short distance, she hid behind a tree and listened intently to approaching footsteps; there seemed to be five people. From her vantage point among the branches, she watched as the group moved cautiously; they appeared to be armed—some carried bows, another a crossbow, and two seemed to have a dagger. They looked like they were searching for something or someone... and since she was bored, the young girl decided she might just ambush them—if only for the fun of it. She tied on her red scarf, scanned the surroundings, and began to assess who she could ambush first, looking for the weakest target to strike from the shadows…
The youth already had a target in her sights: the archer, who appeared to be the most isolated of the five hunters. She grabbed a thick, loose branch from the tree and hurled it into the distance to draw the group's attention—and it worked. As the five hunters turned toward the noise, she seized the moment to attack the lone archer. Naturally, this drew the attention of the other hunters; they immediately went on the defensive and attacked the fugitive who had ambushed them. One of them fired his crossbow, but the young woman used the archer’s body as a shield to block the arrows; since the archer was still alive, he screamed in pain. Seeing that their comrade was still breathing, the others began to close in, while the crossbowman stayed alert, ready for any further attack from the figure.
The men fell one by one; she used her sword to slash and wound the hunter who carried a dagger, while the other—too slow to react—was struck down by the very dagger belonging to his fallen comrade. Meanwhile, hidden in the bushes, the two youths listened as a battle broke out between the hunters and a mysterious stranger. The prince peered through a small gap in the foliage; he couldn't make out the identity of the skilled, heroic figure moving in the shadows, but he could see the gleam of a sword reflecting the light of the full moon.
Using her skill with the sword, the girl deflected and dodged the arrows the crossbowman fired at her, closing the distance until she could drive one of his own arrows straight into him, sending him collapsing to the ground. The hunters' bloodied bodies lay upon the earth. The two lads hiding in the bushes were tense and terrified; if this figure turned out to be hostile—or simply not on their side—it would mean the end for them. The girl cast a cold, sidelong glance at the algebraliens still hiding in the brush, causing them to panic and bolt from their hiding place.
Both of them ran as fast as they could, they paid more attention to whether or not that figure was following them than to the path ahead.
“Who–...Who was that?!” The yellow variable exclaimed in fear as they ran.
“I–I don’t know… But I don’t think it was friendly…”
The terrified algebraliens kept running in the dark forest, they could barely see in the dark, but what worried them most was that the nocturnal figure might find them and do something fatal to them. Both of them kept fleeing blindly until... ZUMB!! Four had stepped on a hidden trap and was pulled headfirst, hanging from a tree, and as soon as his friend fell into a trap, CRASH!! X fell into a narrow well, becoming trapped in the hole.
Amidst the forest shadows, the sound of snapping twigs was heard—then footsteps; something was approaching. The young prince saw a figure drawing near; frightened, he tried to defend himself by hurling fireballs. It was to no avail, however, as the figure kept closing in, dodging and blocking every attack with a sharp weapon that gleamed in the moonlight, while the frightened prince grew increasingly tense and nervous. The hostile shadow deflected one of the fireballs back toward the young prince's hands, injuring him and burning his palms.
“AAAAAGHH!” The petrified prince screamed in pain and covered his hands, watching in terror as that shadow approached him menacingly…
“ST–STAY AWAY!!... WHA–WHAT DO YOU WANT?...”
This threatening individual stepped close enough to come face-to-face with the prince, staring coldly straight into his eyes. By the light of the moon, Four managed to see the person's face—or rather, half of it, as it was covered by a bright red scarf. He saw the moonlight glinting in their eyes... those eyes... they seemed familiar... yet he couldn't quite place them... The hostile person removed the scarf and looked with disdain at the frightened prince, and the noble youth finally managed to recognize this person… It was, the fish girl…
“What are you doing here…”
The peasant asked, sounding threatening, which frightened the young noble a little more.
“Y–you are–...” The astonished prince stuttered, not believing at all that– this girl, who ambushed those five hunters by herself was the same person he saw in the stream the other day.
“You haven’t answered me. What. Are. You. Doing. Here.”
“I–I…I was–, I–I won’t tell you! Not unless you get me down from here! Is this trap one of your doings?!”
“Ugh. You are SOO stubborn… aren’t you?”
“What do you– UGH! GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!!”
“Four? What’s happening? Who are you talking to?” The yellow friend spoke in the hole, worried about his friend and who might be with him.
“Oh!... It looks like you came with a friend…”
“Don’t you dare to do anything to X!”
“So, their name is X… huh. I don't know why you think I'm going to do anything to your friend; it's not like I'm interested in them at all.”
“S–So… what do you want then…”
“I want you to ANSWER me. What are you doing here! I won’t ask again.”
“I told you I won’t unless you get me down from here!”
“Ugh, alright then, as you say, spoiled prince…”
“Don’t call me that! Don’t you still know who you are talking to?!”
“Yes, I do.” The youth gave Four a playful shove, just to mock and humiliate him.
“Woahhh! Hey!”
“Haha! You're not so threatening anymore, are you?”
“Hahaha it’s so funny… NOW GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!! RIGHT NOW!–”
“SHHHH!! Keep your voice low! This place is plagued with predators and hunters… Keep! Quiet!” The lassie put a hand over the prince's mouth, looking at him very seriously.
“Uh…hello? Can someone help me?” The young variable asked for help, raising his voice again with shyness and concern.
Deep sighs “Alright, I'll help you, but just shut up.” The girl removed her hand from Four’s mouth, tired and irritated.
“Augh!... Just– hurry up…” “Stupid commoner…”
The lassie took a few steps back and aimed her sword upward, then hurled it to sever the rope; it narrowly grazed the prince's ankle, startling him. Once the rope snapped, the noble youth fell headfirst to the ground and injured himself by the impact with the ground.
“OWW!! What is your damn problem?! Couldn't you just climb the tree and untie the rope?!”
“Nope.” The girl climbed the tree to grab her sword, then hopped down. Four watched her do it all and emerge unscathed; if he had tried that, he surely would have broken a bone by now… “Damn…this girl is awesome– WHAT? NO! NOPE NOPE!! SHE ISN’T! SHE’S JUST ANNOYING AND RUDE!!”
The youth walked over to the hole where X was; not knowing who it was, he became frightened. “AH! DON’T HURT ME!”
“Heh, I won’t. Just take my hand, I’m helping you bud.”
At first, X hesitated, but upon realizing that the girl only wanted to help him, he took her hand and, carefully and with her assistance, climbed out of the hole.
“Are you ok? Are you hurt?”
“No…no, I’m fine… Thank you.”
“No problem, your name is X, right?”
“Yeah, uhm, what are you… doing here?”
The girl was about to respond, but a noise was heard in the woods, and it put her on alert. “This place is not safe… Follow me, I know where we can be safe.”
The commoner began to walk stealthily, while Four and X followed behind her. The three youths walked for a while until they reached a cabin in the middle of the forest; it blended in well with its surroundings and was not easily visible at first glance, and neither of Four and X spotted the cabin initially. “Here we are… We arrived.”
“Arrived… To where? There’s nothing!”
“Yeah… I don’t see anything…”
“If you are trying to fool us… You will be in severe–! …problems…” Upon looking more closely into the shadows, the prince saw that there was indeed a structure there—a wooden cabin.
“Oooh!... So, there it is!...” X exclaimed, astonished to see a cabin camouflaged in the darkness of the forest.
“C'mon, hurry up! Enter inside now!”
The three youths entered the cottage in silence. Once inside, the girl lit a few candles and led both algebraliens to the dining room.
“This place is… Decent… I– guess…” The prince scornfully criticized the simple, homey place.
“I think it’s nice.” X praised it happily, noting that the place—though simple—had a certain charm and felt pleasant.
“Thank you, X. You certainly appreciate the charm of a young small-town girl's home.” The girl spoke as she sheathed her sword in the designated spot.
“Ugh, whatever. It’s just a stupid and simple house.”
“Look, little spoiled prince. This ‘stupid and simple house’ has saved you from whatever is out there.”
“I don't need to be in a stupid house, I can defend myself perfectly well with my powers.”
“Oh yeah, sure. Of course.”
“UH– WHY DO YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT?”
“Hm, I don’t know, I think it’s because your hands are BURNED.”
“Oh…right…uhm…”
“Ha! That's what you get for breaking my fishing rod.”
“What the hell do you mean?! I didn't break anything!”
“You broke my good fishing rod! Do you know how much it cost me?!”
“No! And I don’t care! I don't worry about such simple and useless things as a fishing rod!” Four grumbled, then looked away and rubbed his hands; they still hurt.
The peasant sighed in frustration; this guy is a complete idiot... She saw him rub his hands together, and even though she disliked the prince, she still cared about his well-being.
“Does it still hurt?” The girl crossed her arms, although she looks and seems skeptical, does care about the young prince.
“Uh, yeah…” Four said shyly, avoiding looking at the girl out of embarrassment.
Sighs “Come here.” The lassie sat down in a chair and placed another one next to her.
“Wha– To where?”
Sighs “Are you seriously a dumbass?” The youth stood up and walked frustratedly to the young man, grabbed him by the shoulder and led him to the two chairs. “Woah– Hey!”
The girl sat in one and the young noble sat in another. “Just stay there, I’m trying to help.” The lassie grabbed one of the prince's hands.
“HEY! Don’t touch me!” Four snatched his hand away from the girl.
“I'm trying to heal your hand! Stop being so stubborn and just give it to me.” The youth took his hand again, and with a bandage she grabbed, she began to bandage the prince's hand.
The lassie carefully bandaged his hand in a comfortable silence. X was observing and walking around the cabin out of curiosity; he was interested in what was inside the house. While the prince was silent and nervous, for some reason, having this girl very close to him made him nervous. Perhaps it’s because he’s used to everyone praising him and always doing what he says. Encountering someone who doesn’t act that way toward him is unusual; that girl is completely different from anyone else he’s ever met.
The peasant finished bandaging both of Four’s hands. He gently rubbed his hands together upon seeing that his palms were now bandaged; he wanted to say something to the girl but felt too shy. The lassie got up from her chair and apparently went to fetch something; meanwhile, the prince sat thinking about how to ask her what he wanted to say, but then his friend arrived and interrupted his thoughts.
“Hello Four! How are you feeling? How are your hands?” The yellow variable leaned against another chair nearby and watched his friend empathetically, observing how he rubbed his hands together.
“Ah! Oh, hi X. Uhm, I feel…okay, my hands still hurt, but, less.”
“She’s amazing.”
“What?”
“That girl, she is amazing! She is very brave, strong, kind, affectionate, and very beautiful. She took out those guards! She saved us! She healed your hands! She is the best person I have ever met!”
“Ugh, she’s not really a big deal. She knows how to fight—so what? The knights do too. She bandaged my hands—so what? I can heal at the castle. And ‘beautiful’? Seriously? Pffft! She isn't as amazing as you think, X.”
“Aw, don’t be like that, Foury! You know she is amazing!”
“NO SHE IS NOT! AND DON’T CALL ME FOURY!”
“Woah! Ok ok! I’m sorry… You seem more irritable than usual; is something wrong?”
“No…” The prince crossed his arms and avoided looking at his friend; frustrated, he denied that anything was wrong—something he did not want to admit.
“Really? Isn’t that girl? Why does she bother you?”
“Why?! Because!– She’s so full of herself! Can’t you see that? She goes around showing off her warrior skills—big deal! She just wants to look good in everyone's eyes so they'll fear and respect her!”
“Isn't that what you do all the time?”
“AH!– OF COURSE NO! MY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT!”
“OH! Now I see what it is… You… Are… JEALOUS!!!”
“WHAT?! NO! NO I AM NOT! WHY SHOULD I BE JEALOUS OF A STUPID COMMONER!”
“Oh, Four. WE both know she’s not just a commoner… She’s more!! What if she was a warrior? Oh! Now I have a lot of questions!”
“Ugh, shut up, X. She’s not interesting at all…”
“Aw, c’mon! There’s gotta be something you are curious about her! I know there is something!”
“Uh– well… Actually… I just– wonder where she got that sword... It looks familiar... It's not common… O–or… Since she fights so well—I mean! Professionally... But I'm not impressed.”
“OH! YOU LIKE HER! YOU LIKE THE PEASANT GIRL!!”
“X! SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!!”
“OH MY YOYLE! THIS IS AMAZING!!”
“DO I LOOK LIKE I LIKE THAT STUPID COMMONER?!”
“Yeah!”
Sighs “You are SO frustrating… It's stupid of you to think I like that stupid girl. She has nothing special about her, the way I see it.”
“C’mon! You like that girl! Don’t worry! I actually see the vision!~”
“X!! JUST– please stop… It bothers me so much…”
“Okay okay, I’ll stop, just for you.”
“Uh, is everything ok guys? I heard shouting... and I came to see if everything was right…” The girl arrived at the dining room looking worried, seeing the two algebraliens who had perhaps been arguing.
“Yep! Everything is ok!”
“Alright then. You can sleep here tonight–”
“WHAT?! HERE? IN THIS DUMP?!”
“Excuse me! This ‘dump’ is MY house, to remind you, little stubborn prince. Or would you prefer to sleep outside among the traps? At least you'd be safe; the only downside is that you'd be cold.”
“UGHH! FINE! Whatever…”
“I'm going to blow out the candles soon, so, uh, you'd better figure out where you're going to sleep.” The youth was about to leave, but she remembered something important. “Oh! I almost forgot.” The girl walked straight toward the prince, stopping in front of him. “Here, take these gloves to cover your bandages so no one gets suspicious.”
“Are– are those for me?...”
“No! They are for the king! OF COURSE FOR YOU DUMBASS!”
“Uh, thank you… I– guess…” The young prince carefully put on the gloves to avoid hurting himself; they were black. He didn't usually wear much black, as he considered it a very boring and cheap-looking color, but he did like the way it looked with the gloves. “Hm, they are comfy.”
“Of course they are, I mostly use them in winter to explore during cold weather so I don't get too cold.”
“That’s interesting, I guess…”
“Well, it’s gettin’ late and I’m also getting tired.” Yawn “Do you already know where you're going to sleep?”
“Uh– we… uhm… X?”
“Uhhhhhhh… Weee don’t know…”
Sighs “Alright then, you can sleep with me.”
“W–WITH YOU?!”
“Yeah, any problem?”
“I– NO BUT!–”
“C’mon Four! I wanna sleep with you! It’s been a long time since we slept together.”
“Ugh, fine… Just– for you X…”
“Yay!”
“Okay then, both of you, follow me.”
Both algebraliens followed the girl to her room. It was quite nice and clean; it looked very pleasant and comfortable.
“Ooooh! Your room is so pretty!!”
“Heh, thank you, X.”
“It’s… Nicer than the rest of this dump. But– I just see one bed, and I don’t think the three of us fit there…”
“HAHA! And who told you that you'd be sleeping in the bed?”
“What–”
“Look little spoiled brat, you'll have to sleep on the floor, but at least your little friend will be by your side.~”
“O–ON THE FLOOR?! I–I, I CAN’T SLEEP ON THE FLOOR!! IT’S TOO COLD!”
“Augh, You're exaggerating. Look, I have some sheets to put down there so at least the two of you are comfortable; I probably have some extra pillows, too…” The girl glanced at a closet, thinking about looking for extra pillows (if there were any). The youth approached the closet and started looking for the sheets and pillows. “Hmm… There’s gotta be something here…”
“AUGHHH! Noooo!...”
“Don’t be sad, Foury, At least you have me in this; you won't be the only one sleeping on the floor.” X approached his friend and touched his shoulder, trying to comfort him.
“This is outrageous! I am not going to bring myself to sleep on the floor! HEY YOU STUPID COMMONER! I DEMAND TO SLEEP IN THE BED! ORDERS FROM THE PRINCE OF GOIKY.”
“Hmmmm and what happens if I say no?” The lassie peeked out, playfully looking at the prince.
“You wouldn't want to know…” Four raised his hand again and sparks flew, but they hurt him because his hands were still injured. “AGH!– OW OW OW!...”
Guffaws “BAHAHAHAHA!!! OH MY LORD! I CAN’T! hAHAHAHA!”
“Hey! Don’t make fun of him, please!”
Giggles “Okay okay, I’m sorry, I’ll stop.”
“Ow…my hand…” The stubborn prince rubbed his hand, wanting to soothe the pain.
“Four, are you okay…?”
“Yeah, I think so… I just forgot my hands are burned…”
“Your hands will never heal if you keep doing those stupid things, lil’ prince.”
“Ugh…whatever… Just– put the blankets on.”
“Alright then little prince.” The girl takes the sheets out of the closet and spreads them out on the floor. “X, can you do me a favor?”
“Yup! What's it?
“Could you arrange and spread out the sheets and pillows? I’m going to blow out the candles in the cabin.”
“With no problem!”
The youth left the room to extinguish the candles in the house, while X began to straighten and smooth out the sheets; Four remained leaning against a wall beside the entrance, rubbing and gazing at his gloved hand, before removing the glove to look at the bandage.
The prince stood up from the wall and took off his cloak, only to see that it was riddled with holes and dirty. “Augh, c’mon! Seriously?”
“What happened?”
“My cloak! It’s a mess! What will I do with it when I get home?” The little prince whined, defeated and frustrated, he left his cape lying around; honestly, he didn't care at all where he left it.
“Aw, I’m sorry. Hey! Why don’t you ask the maiden to fix it! Maybe she can sew it for you.”
“X, we don’t know if she can even sew!”
“I know she can! She is capable of everything!”
“That commoner has already blinded you…” The noble youth sighed and muttered to himself, watching his friend believe that stupid commoner had left him "bewitched"—well, he is very naive, so it’s not much of a surprise.
The prince began to unfasten his cloth vest to sleep more comfortably, but just then the lassie entered; she stood there watching him—holding the last lit candle—as he took off the vest. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?...”
“Ah! Uh, I… Nothing. I... I'm going to blow out the candle in a moment.” The girl walked over to her bed and placed the candle on the nightstand, facing the window, while repeating to herself over and over: why on earth did she do that? “GODDAMN! WHY DID YOU STARE AT HIM LIKE AN IDIOT? DAMN IT! HE'S SURE TO THINK I'M A FREAK!”
Four left the vest on a chair in the room, watching the stupid commoner and wondering why she had seen him like that.
The girl turned around and took a deep breath, leaning against the nightstand and keeping calm. Ahem… “I—I... am not used to... having visitors, or... receiving them... I usually live in the forest all by myself—alone, just me…”
“Yeah, I can tell.”
“Sooooo… Are you comfortable? Do you need anything?”
“I am ok! Thank you amazing girl!” X got ready to go to sleep, snuggling up and getting comfortable between the sheets.
“Heh, thanks for the compliment, X.”
“I’m fine, I don’t think I need anything.”
“It's a miracle you aren't complaining about something.”
“Shut up, I know when to recognize when I need something and when I don't.”
Snorts “Oh yeah for sure.”
“Don’t act like you know me, you stupid commoner.”
“Well, this ‘stupid commoner’ saved you from the hunters in the forest–”
“GUYS! PLEASE! I AM TRYING TO SLEEP! YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR ROMANTIC ARGUMENT TOMORROW!”
“Woah! Hold on there X.”
“‘ROMANTIC’? X, WHAT IS YOUR DAMN PROBLEM!”
“Do you seriously think I’d fall for a stupid prince like him? HAHA! I’d rather be with a fish than an idiot!”
“HEY! At least *I* have elegance! Not a stupid fish!”
“I don't need to be with someone 'handsome’ to live happily. Although, to be honest, I prefer living alone.”
“Ooooh! That hit hard!”
“Do you really think I love spending time with someone arrogant and self-centered?!”
“Hey! I try my best to make sure they feel comfortable! And here you are, complaining and insulting me, even though I offered you a comfortable place to sleep!”
“Sleeping on the floor is NOT COMFORTABLE AT ALL!”
“For a spoiled and demanding prince, I can tell. Your life is SO easy... Oh! Look! I'm a brutish prince who can have whatever I want, whenever I want!–”
“AGH!! SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH! YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME NOR MY LIFE! DO YOU REALLY THINK BEING IN A ROYAL FAMILY IT’S EASIER? WELL GUESS WHAT! NO! I HAVE TO DEAL WITH KINGDOM PROBLEMS ALL THE DAMN TIME! I DON’T HAVE TIME TO REST! AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH YOU IS SO MUCH WORSE FOR ME! FOR THE LOVE OF GOIKY, SHOW PEOPLE SOME RESPECT FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!!!”
…
“...I…” Sighs “I think I went too far... sorry.” The girl spoke faintly. She blew out the candle and lay down on her bed, gazing toward the window, where the night light was filtering through.
X remained silent; he wanted to help his friend and try to calm him down, but he stayed quiet, and he felt guilty about it. Four took a deep breath and lay down on the ground next to X.
“...Four?... How do you feel?–”
“Just let me sleep, X. Goodnight…”
“Okay… Goodnight then…”
It took the young prince a while to fall asleep; he kept thinking about what he had said to the peasant. Did he have an excuse for saying it? Or was he being very rude? Why did he say that? Should he have said it? Why did he react that way? Why does he dislike that girl so much? Why does she treat him differently? There were so many questions he asked himself, and Four didn't know how to answer them. He thought—or rather, he believed—that perhaps he regretted shouting at the girl... maybe he shouldn't have done it. After who knows how long, he finally managed to fall asleep—the last of the three to do so. Perhaps he had been unable to sleep earlier because of the surroundings, with which he was still unfamiliar.