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Xia Xia is not a happy camper.
Not in any sense of the word: literally, metaphorically, financially.
(Permits to go camping are expensive.)
(The gear needed to go camping - tents, portable utensils, tarps, and other things they'll never use again - is even more expensive.)
She sighs and crosses her arms, sparing a frown at the trees towering overhead. Out in the desert, the sky above was limitless, impossible to ever reach. Here amongst the brambles and low-lying branches, she feels surrounded. Claustrophobic.
"So, we're intentionally going to go wander in the woods – on purpose – because it's supposed to be fun?"
Dan seems to be the only other teammate who isn't altogether at ease with their impromptu vacation. He lowers one of their many bags to the dirt and rubs absently at his shoulder. "I haven't been camping since I was little," he says. "It must have been before I entered the inner Tower. I, uh, forgot how quiet it is out in the woods."
Quiet?
Xia Xia's ears twitch reflexively. It's far from quiet here. Birds chirp and critters scramble against bark and some distant stream gurgles. She already has a hard enough time sleeping through Novick's snores; she's already resigned herself to a long, sleepless night out in the middle of nowhere.
"When Khun suggested we go camping, I thought he was joking," Novick admits. "Said he had fond memories of it as a kid."
Beta narrows his eyes. "He doesn't seem the type to tell jokes."
"He isn't."
All eyes swing towards Ran. He's always the go-to when it comes to their enigmatic "supreme commander".
Ran shrugs. "Our family would leave us in the wilderness as part of our survival training. Hunt or be hunted. That's sort of like camping, right?"
Dan clears his throat and forces an overly cheery smile. "Sort of, yeah. But, er, a whole lot less stressful. More fun than life-or-death."
"Oh, it wasn't stressful for me," Ran counters, the wicked smirk stretching across his lips. "I wasn't the one being hunted."
A beat of silence falls in the clearing. Even the birds stop their merry whistles for a brief second.
Xia Xia decides that's one stone that's best left unturned. Instead, she tips her Lighthouse, dumping the remaining supplies to the ground.
"I say we set up camp here."
She can still see the faded path they took to get to this spot. After hearing that blue-haired gremlin's nostalgic confession, there's no way she'd ever go further in the deep, dark woods with him.
"This place looks as good to me," Beta says with a stiff nod. He kicks at the hard ground with a heel, wrinkling his nose. "Ground seems solid. Sturdy."
Xia Xia tries not to smirk; he sounds an awful lot like the first-timers who'd come by for information – all that false confidence and bluster with not much practical experience to back it up.
Seems like their self-proclaimed "miracle creation" doesn't have much experience with getting dirty.
This might turn out to be better than I thought.
Xia Xia still isn't fond of trees or dirt or really anything associated with the "Grand Outdoors". But blackmail worthy information or mortifying moments?
Oh, she loves that.
He survived countless years of painful experimentation and torture. The mental anguish, the betrayal.
He is a Living Ignition weapon, his power second only to Irregulars.
He is brilliant, intelligent, a genius.
So, of course, he can figure out how to set up a damn tent without instructions.
(Technically, he doesn't have a choice. Not after someone accidentally tossed the instruction pamphlet in the trash long before they set out on this camping nightmare.)
Beta stares at the scattered mess of hollow metal poles, plastic cording, and rumbled tarps.
How hard can it be? It's just a matter of simple engineering. Once he builds the frame, then it'll be easy enough to—
Well, Beta can't really move on to the next step until he builds the actual frame. And unfortunately for him, a recognizable structure remains elusive. He comes close with an unsteady skeleton of a three-legged lean-to, but a careless (intentional?) shoulder bump from Ran sends it tumbling to the hard dirt.
Beta glares. "What was that for?"
Ran kicks at one of the rolling metal poles and shakes his head. "If it couldn't withstand that, then there's no way it would have held the tarp." He shrugs, a smirk rising on his lips. "You should be thanking me. Now you won't be wasting your time."
"Oh? How about you give it a try, since you seem to know how it's done."
Ran scoffs. "How hard can it be? I've built things far more…complicated than this…" Ran trails off as he surveys the scattered pieces of the tent. "Obviously that's part of the base. You have to hold it steady while I—"
"Me? I thought you wanted to do this yourself."
"I can't hold all the parts together myself. Just—just do what I tell you."
Beta bristles, but he still picks up the pole that Ran gestures towards. "Where do you want me to hold it?"
Ran spares Beta a suspicious, searching look before pointing a few meters away. "Hold that up over there while I screw this into the ground."
Their temporary truce holds for approximately fifteen seconds.
"This pole needs to go over there."
"No, it doesn't. It's supposed to be here. This is the entrance to the tent."
"Why are you thinking about an entrance now? We don't even have the damn base poles set up."
"If we don't figure out which way the entrance goes, then we'll have to start over."
"Start over from what? There's nothing here right now!"
Their bickering attracts attention. Some teammates slip further away, perhaps to seek safety. Others get nosy.
"Not so easy without instructions, huh?" Novick asks, coming closer to survey their progress. "I could give it—"
"We don't need instructions," Beta hisses.
"Go bother someone else," Ran grunts.
Even if they couldn't put the tent together, at least they could agree on one thing: no one wants Novick to get involved.
(When an hour passes and all they have to show is a pile of dented metal poles and a now torn tarp, Ran and Beta unanimously agree that sleeping in a tent isn't worth the hype.)
("It's more authentic anyway. To sleep under a shinsu sky, I mean.")
Setting up the fire proves to be even more difficult than the tent. Dan watches his teammates fret and grumble over a lifeless, cold pile of twigs and branches.
Some of the Tower's most powerful D-rank Regulars, stumped by a simple flint stone. He'd laugh if he didn't think it would lead to him getting his ass kicked by the aforementioned D-rank Regulars.
"What are you doing? You're supposed to strike the flint at an angle!"
"I am hitting it at an angle! 45 degrees exactly. That's the optimum tilt."
"Oh, so now you're deciding to follow directions?"
"I'd like to see you do any better. It's impossible to get a grip on this da—"
"You know, this wouldn't be happening if we bought the automatic fire starter," Xia Xia interrupts, her tone dripping with smug "I told you so"s.
Beta lowers the flint. "Weren't you the one who vetoed that? Saying something about it being out of our budget?"
"I— well, that's because…" She scowls and crosses her arms in lieu of a proper answer.
If only their competitive spirit could be harnessed. Then we might have a fire going.
Dan would have offered to help if he didn't think it'd end in more trouble for him. Novick had already been banished from the circle for breaking their fire starter with an overly enthusiastic smash of steel against flint.
Now everyone's working with scraps and Dan's starting to worry that he didn't pack enough warm clothes if they have to spend the night without a fire.
"Just give it here." Ran wrestles the flint from Beta's grip. He narrows his eyes before positioning the steel knife over the flint. He jerks the knife against the flint, sending a shower of sparks cascading towards the bundle of kindling.
Beta and Xia Xia temporarily cease their bickering. Novick cranes his neck to see better and even Dan leans closer.
He is the one who'd have the most experience, Dan muses.
Ran snares the bottom of his lip between his teeth, his brow furrowed in concentration. Dan's almost more intrigued by his expression than the sparks. After all, it's rare to catch Ran wearing an emotion other than boredom or vague disgust.
He strikes the flint stone again.
One of the sparks lands on the lump of kindling. Ran's eyes widen and his teammates collectively hold their breath as the tiny spark burrows deeper into the shredded bark and tinder. Faint tendrils of smoke rise from the pile.
"Did you seriously—" Beta's voice is low, almost awed.
Then the flickering light fizzles out with a sad crackle. Ran's faint smile drops fast.
"Tch." He clicks his tongue and tosses aside the flint. "This is useless. I'm not going to waste my time with this stupid tool."
Ran curls his fingers into a tight fist. Static electricity prickles in the air and the hairs lining Dan's forearm stand on end.
Uh oh…
"Wait… What are you doing?" Dan scrambles to his feet.
"Starting a fire," Ran grunts. His glare settles on the pile of smoldering twigs. "My way."
"If we're using shinsu now, then it's my turn to try again," Novick interrupts, shouldering himself into the group. His fingertips glow, casting a flickering red light across his clenched jaw.
Is that Crimson Soul…? Dan's eyes widen. Oh no—
Beta scoffs and cross his arms. "You can't start a fire with any kind of shinsu. It needs to be funneled right. Neither of you have the precision necessary to do it."
"Oh?" Xia Xia tilts her head, tone mocking. "Think you can do better? Why don't you show us how it's done?"
"Hold on—" Dan sputters. He shoots a flat glare in her direction, but she pretends not to see it.
What the hell are you doing?
Dan already knows what she's trying to do: create sparks of her own kind. And judging from her wide grin, Xia Xia knows exactly what she's doing too.
She throws her hands into the air. "Come on! Let's make it a contest. See who can start the biggest fire."
"Let's do it," Beta interrupts, exchanging nods with Ran.
"The biggest fire or the hottest?"
"Now, wait a damn second—"
"Hottest, obviously."
"No, no, no."
"Loser has to carry all of the stuff back."
"Sure."
"And be on dish duty," Novick adds.
"Keep on adding more punishments." Ran's grin turns sharp. "I won't be the one to lose."
"Please don't do this…"
"Okay! On the count of three then," Xia Xia says with an enthusiastic clap.
"One—"
Novick's palms swell with crimson light. Ran's hair rises from his forehead, his eyes glowing. Beta grins, solidified shinsu bursting from his shoulder blades.
"Two—" Xia Xia shimmies and takes a reflexive step back.
Dan drops his face in his hands, burying the groan. He shouldn't be surprised they won't listen to him. It's in their nature to get carried away. He'll just have to ride it out and hope the sparks don't fly too far or catch onto something flammable.
He jerks his head up.
Wait, shit – we're surrounded by flammable things. They're going to burn the whole damn forest down.
"Thr—"
"STOP!"
Everyone freezes. Even Dan, whose mouth hangs open uselessly after shouting at the top of his lungs. Ran's bangs flop to his face and Beta's protruding shinsu limbs wilt. Novick's glowing hands drop to his sides.
"I—" Dan blinks, swiveling his gaze from teammate to teammate. It might be the first time he's ever managed to get them all to stop bickering. However, he can't savor the stunned silence, 'cause already Ran's eyes are starting to narrow.
"Everyone gets a chance to start the fire the old-fashioned way, right?" Dan continues in a hurried rush. "Before you guys burn this forest down, let me have a go first!"
Beta and Ran swap gazes before shrugging. Novick watches on, a skeptical brow hoisted.
"Fine, whatever." Ran gestures towards the abandoned flint stone with a foot. "Give it a shot."
Dan forces an uneasy smile before shaking his head. He'd be just as likely to accidentally slice off a couple of fingers than start a fire properly with that.
"I think I'm going to try another method," he says instead, stooping down to grab two hefty sticks. He picks at some of the lingering bark before hesitating.
Wait, am I supposed to keep the bark? Or are the sticks supposed to be bare?
The technique wasn't well explained in the movie he saw, and he isn't about to ask for advice from the others. Not when they're watching him with far more malicious glee than what's proper for teammates.
Whatever. It's the friction that really matters.
He squats, holding the sticks ever so slightly above the pile of twigs and tinder. A bead of sweat trickles down the back of his neck.
"Anytime now," Beta grumbles.
Dan sighs, takes a steadying breath – of pine and tree sap and dirt – and starts rubbing the sticks together. The sticks rasp and grate against each other with promising ferocity, but no smoke rises.
Dan frowns and tries to funnel more energy and speed into his biceps. It's a strange sensation; compared to his legs, he's rarely ever had a reason to move his arms quickly. His fingers tighten around the sticks; the splinters bite into his palm with the repetitive sawing motion.
There!
A thin tendril of smoke rises from the tiny speck of smoldering wood. Dan tosses the sticks aside and stares blankly at the kindling pile before realizing he ought to blow on it. He drops lower, his elbows digging into the dirt, as he carefully puffs life into the flame.
Within seconds, the fire has spread to the rest of the wood. Dan falls backwards, grinning at the hungry, popping flame. His arms feel like jelly and he'll have to pick the splinters from his palm, but he made fire.
"And that's how it's done."
I can't believe that worked…
Crisis averted. Forest saved.
Ran appraises the flame with an almost-impressed expression. "You may be more useful than the rabbit."
"Hey!"
Setting up the tent ended with a truce.
The fire? Well, no one could have anticipated that Scout being the winner.
Ran decides his best bet for securing victory will be through catching their dinner.
Fishing.
How hard could it be? He's been fishing before. Sort of, at least. Sitting beside AA for hours by that pond, long enough for his backside to grow numb and his mind to wander.
It turns out fishing is rather difficult indeed.
Not difficult, he amends in his head. Boring.
(Difficult implies failure. Boring means it isn't his fault when his line remains empty.)
Ran knows he's never been as patient as other members of his family – after all, why bother waiting for the "opportune" moment when he could create it himself instantly – but staring at the unbroken surface of the lake for a flicker of movement is a new kind of torture.
Beta isn't having much luck either. He's certainly getting more bites. However, each time he jerks his rod and frantically reels in his impending catch, all that greets him is an empty hook.
(Ran doesn't know which is worse. That brief flash of action would break up the monotony of nothing. Still, each time Beta reels in an empty hook, it's a different kind of frustration.)
Novick, on the other hand, seems to be flourishing at the lake's edge. He's even whistling, bobbing his foot like some kind of middle Tower, suburban dad.
To make matters worse, Novick is the only one to have caught a fish. A massive one, enough to feed all five of them.
(Ran's stomach and pride wage a war against one another. On one hand, he's grateful for something to eat tonight – but, damn, it sure would have been great if all three of them had failed at fishing.)
Beta's fishing line pulls taut and he jumps to his feet. "I think I finally got it—"
Another false alarm. Ran doesn't even feel like snickering this time.
The handle of Beta's fishing rod distorts under his tight grip. When he casts his line back out across the lake, the sinewy tip of his fishing pole nearly snaps from the violent motion.
Ran hasn't seen Beta acting this erratically since the Workshop Battle, back when he was stabbing people for the fun of it.
(Ran isn't altogether against stabbing people. Still, there's a place and time for it. A dangerous tournament? Sure. Fishing on a lake? Maybe not.)
"Why the hell won't these fish stay on the line," Beta seethes. Ran spares him a furtive glance while pretending to recast his own rod. The white of Beta's left eye has been swallowed by black, his iris glowing red.
How bothersome…
Novick notices the change too. "Maybe we should head back," he says, his words slow and careful. "Before it gets too dark."
Beta doesn't need telling twice. With a growl and an under-the-breath grumble, he reels in his line with jerky shakes. His eye goes back to its normal shade of soured lemon.
Ran keeps glaring forward. He won't turn in until something big starts tugging on his hook.
Out of the corner of his eye, he can sense Novick watching him.
Bothersome bastards. The both of them.
"Unless, of course, you were planning on catching some monster fish in the next couple of minutes."
Ran wrinkles his nose, his whole expression screwing up tight with frustration. After all his boasting and bragging before, his failure to catch even a minnow leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
You better enjoy this now. Ran flicks a glare at the side of Novick's head.
The next time they decide to spar for training? Ran will certainly prove who the better Fisherman is.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll come back in a little bit. Maybe I'll finally catch something once you two jabbering idiots stop scaring the fish."
Novick snorts and packs up his prize, not even bothering to retaliate. He and Beta disappear through the brambles. Ran grunts and turns back to the lake.
Fishing… What's the big deal with it anyway?
His hands fall to his lap, his rod drooping. The feather-light fishing line skims across the water's surface with the shift in movement.
Really, it's such a mindless, skill-less activity – surely, it must be, for someone like Novick to excel at it – so he knows he oughtn't be too offended by his empty hook.
Besides, AA was always the one who liked fishing more. He could ramble endlessly about the virtues of careful patience and his favorite lures to use.
(At least, until the day came where even a rod and some glittering hooks couldn't bring a smile to AA's face.)
Ran clicks his tongue and winds his reel back up. He never really liked fishing that much anyway. He'd rather be back with his team than spend another moment with empty hooks and slackened lines.
Novick returns to a not-so-harmonious campsite.
"No! Not yet! I'm saving these for after dinner!"
"But I'm hungry. Come on – just one!"
Xia Xia lunges for the carton of berries in Dan's grip. He backpedals, nearly colliding with Novick and the fish.
Novick squints at the berries, an eyebrow hoisted high. "You didn't eat those, did you?"
Dan shakes his head. "No, not yet. I was saving them in case you guys didn't, uh, catch any fish." His gaze drops to the large fish in Novick's hands. "But it looks like you ended up being successful."
"Oh, never mind then."
"Wait, why'd you ask?"
"Because they're poisonous." Novick moves past, his tone casual. "You'd have been dead in hours."
"Huh…?"
"Eh?"
Xia Xia and Dan swap horrified glances. Dan dumps the berries on the ground and gives them a solid stomp.
"I saw you eating some earlier!" Xia Xia jabs a finger in Beta's direction. "Why didn't you say anything then?"
Beta picks up one of the unsmashed berries and pops it in his mouth. "Because they aren't fatal for me." When he smiles, his teeth are smeared with red pulp. "Delicious."
Ran pushes through the thickets, scowling as he tosses aside his fishing rod. He glances from the mess of squashed berries on the ground to Xia Xia and Dan's horrified expressions.
"Looks like you didn't eat any. Good. It'd be a pain to have to tell AA that you both died."
"So, you all knew about these being poisonous?" Dan groans, shaking his head. "That's the last time I listen to you," he adds, shooting a half-hearted glare at Xia Xia.
"How was I supposed to know?"
"You're the Light Bearer. Knowing things is kinda your whole job."
Xia Xia makes a throaty "harrumph" sound and crosses her arms. "Well, whatever." She pauses, glances back at Novick. "But, uh, I'm still starving. Who's going to prepare the fish?"
There's a beat of silence as the five of them stare at the limp fish.
Novick speaks up first. "I caught it. My job is already done."
Beta shakes his head. "Pass. I technically don't need to eat."
Ran jerks a thumb in Dan's direction. "It's his turn to cook tonight."
Dan swallows, shakes his head a little. "Uh, yeah, okay, but it still has scales on it." His gaze lingers on the brand-new knives laid out next to the cutting board.
Xia Xia rolls her eyes as she reaches for the fish. "You guys are a bunch of—"
The last word is drowned out by the thunk of the fish striking the cutting board. Ran scowls and shifts ever so slightly to the left.
(Out of the fish's sightless, glassy gaze, Novick notices.)
(He can't blame the kid. It's not often that their food comes with eyeballs still attached. Supermarkets usually take care of the messier bits for them.)
With one hand clamped tight against the fish's tail, Xia Xia rakes the blade against the grain of the scales. Flakes of silver and translucent blue litter the ground and coat her fingers. In a few strokes, the side of the fish is nearly devoid of scales.
Dan offers a nervous chuckle, rubbing at the back of his neck. "You're, uh, awfully fast at that."
Xia Xia flicks her gaze towards him before refocusing on descaling the other side of the fish.
"I do know some things. Fish aren't that different from the tiny lizards that'd lurk on the outskirts of town. Back by the Hand of Arlene." Xia Xia pauses, considers her words. "Well, where the Hand used to be."
Then she jabs her fillet knife into the fish's stomach and splits it wide open. Dan drops his gaze first, staring at his shoes. Beta watches the fish with lips puckered in a thoughtful frown. Ran watches Xia Xia, his narrowed gaze scraping across her almost eager expression.
Novick's busy watching the others, making observations and mental notes.
"Light Bearers are kinda scary, aren't they…" Dan leans close to whisper, his hand hovering over his mouth. There's a touch of green to his complexion.
Novick considers the several Light Bearers he's spent extended time with.
Rachel, a girl who tried to kill an Irregular God for a glimpse of something glittering.
Xia Xia, a fanatic who'd willingly bury the world for a few gold coins.
Khun, the sole person on their team who Novick wouldn't dare challenge.
"They are," he agrees with a nod.
Though – to be fair – most members of their team are formidable, he muses.
(Khun designed them that way, after all. Jagged edges and flexible morals and unquestionable usefulness.)
Still, Novick decides it'll be in their best interest to keep their current Light Bearer happy. Especially after catching the glint in her eye as she tore through the fish.
"I'll make dinner tonight," he announces.
It's simply an attempt at placation, to keep everyone working like a well-oiled machine. It's also part of his role as leader – making sure his team doesn't starve or succumb to food poisoning.
(And the varying shades of relief and eagerness on his teammates' faces after he makes this announcement is a completely unrelated, completely unintentional coincidence.)
Dan isn't sure what prompted the strange thoughts that wriggle in his mind as they stretch out on their tarps and blankets.
Perhaps it's the faint globs of amethyst and deep sapphire that float above, the night sky barely visible through the shadowy silhouettes of looming tree branches.
Perhaps it's the warm memory of laughing faces and exasperated smiles and a full stomach that reminds Dan of how good it feels to be part of a team again. A team where he may sometimes be undervalued, but never betrayed.
(Or perhaps it was the way Xia Xia's expression was a touch too gleeful, the knife glinting a touch too brightly as she gutted the fish.)
Whatever the reason, he can't help thinking about Rachel.
"Do you think the stars really exist?" he muses aloud.
He doesn't expect an answer. He gets a whole discussion instead.
"Stars?" Beta's voice floats over from the far side of their campsite. "Like, the things in the sky?"
"What're ya talking about stars for?" Dan can practically hear Xia Xia's wrinkle-nosed scowl. "They're just stories."
"You should've kept your mouth shut," Ran grumbles. In the dim, dying light of the fire, Ran's outline hunches and turns away.
Novick doesn't answer. He might have already fallen asleep, though Dan doesn't hear snoring.
Dan sighs and rolls onto his back. He rests his hands across his ribcage, toying absently with the drawstrings of his hoodie.
"Ah, Ran's right. I shouldn't have brought it up. Never mind. Goodnight."
No one speaks for a long while. Some distant amphibian croaks and a nocturnal bird hoots mournfully.
"I'm curious now," Xia Xia murmurs, breaking the silence. "Why'd you mention stars?"
"The girl, Rachel," Dan begins slowly. "The one Khun wants us to find. She always used to talk about wanting to see the stars. That was why she came to the Tower."
"She caused a lot of trouble," Novick finally interjects. "Just because of some story." He pauses, considers. "I almost hope they don't exist."
"It doesn't matter if they do or don't. We'll kill her before she gets the chance to see them," Ran counters, his back still turned to the group.
The silence stretches longer this time. Someone sighs. Another person rolls over. Dan wonders if he's the only one still awake, the only one searching the sky for something they can't see.
Ran's sullen words are a biting reminder of their mission. They aren't a team simply climbing the Tower for the hell of it, because they're a bunch of friends all having an adventure.
They're climbing the Tower for one reason and one reason only: Khun's vengeance.
"I remember hearing the stories," Beta says after another long pause. "And getting all the updates from Khun about what she did to Viole."
Dan angles his neck to get a better look at his teammates. If he squints, he thinks he can see the propped-up shadow of Novick and Xia Xia's perked ears.
"If she did all that for a couple of stars," Beta continues, "then maybe they're something worth seeing. We'll be heading that way anyway. The top, I mean."
"Are you suggesting we go camping at the top of the Tower?" Xia Xia snorts, though there's no malice to the sound.
"We've had some experience now," Dan offers with a weak smile. "We'll be more prepared."
"And maybe the rest of you could finally be useful and catch a fi—ow!"
The sound of a foot striking a spine.
"Shut it. Some of us are trying to sleep."
Dan dares not laugh, otherwise Ran's foot will find him next. Still, he can let the smile grow wider across his lips. In the darkness, there's no need to stay stoic.
He closes his eyes and lets loose a long, sleepy exhale. His skin is already itching from insect bites and his shoulders will definitely be stiff from sleeping on the hard dirt, but all things considered?
Not a bad time at all.