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The day was coming to an end at the research team's base of the Auruma region. Long shadows littered across the base while the people were preparing for the next intensive day of exploration and research. Though along the road from the base there were two lonesome figures moving towards the nearby Golden Lake. Normally they too would be settling for the night, but this little outing had a purpose that was only known to one of them so far.
“Hey Isla, how far are we going?” Yumia asked while trailing a few steps behind the other girl.
“Just down to the lake.” Isla said while she scanned the roadside for any stray monsters, but tonight was calm from that perspective.
“And you can’t just tell me whatever this is right here?”
“I guess I could in theory. But I want to be sure we are alone.”
“I mean if this invitation didn’t come from nowhere I wouldn’t have so many questions for you.”
“You’ll get your answers soon Yumia, I promise.”
Isla heard a groan behind her and it made her crack a smile, it was fun hearing Yumia so frustrated and it also helped calm her own nerves. They headed on, only stopping briefly because some rare mineral caught Yumia's eyes and had to be collected.
Isla had chosen this spot because it felt like the perfect place to pour one's heart out. Right in this lake was where Yumia almost lost her life and did lose all memories of her mother. Isla wanted Yumia to know she still thought about that and supported her, and finally share the full truth about her own greatest loss.
At last they arrived at the waterfront and saw the clifftop city cast a massive shadow across half the lake making it look like two different worlds meeting. The sight was so stunning neither of them could help but stand on the beach and watch it in awe for a while.
“Alright Isla. Now why did we come here?” Yumia took initiative and turned to Isla.
Isla didn’t want to face her just yet so she just clenched her fist in front of her chest and tried to will her beating heart to settle. But even if it won't, she's ready for this.
“Because this is where you almost lost everything, and did lose something important.”
“Hey, if you want to cheer me up there’s no need. The memories are gone so I can’t even be angry about it because I can’t remember what they were.”
“I know Yumia. But it reminded me of my own past and loss.” Isla took a deep breath before she shoved her spear’s butt end into the sand so it stood on its own and turned to face Yumia. “We have a good understanding of each other, don’t we Yumia?”
“Of course! You’re like the closest friend I’ve ever had. And you never held me being an alchemist against me, that’s something I’ll always be thankful for. But why the question? Has something happened Isla?” Isla saw Yumia's grip around her gun tighten.
“Not really, although I guess it kinda has.” Isla looked away for a few moments. What could be said happened to her already happened a while back, but it took some time to process and until now to find courage and actually take action. She looked back at the still noticeably tense Yumia. “But I’m glad to hear your words for me. I also trust you greatly, that’s why I decided that I no longer wanted to hide an important part of my past and of my identity from you.”
“Wait," Yumia gasped and her eyes widened "you’ve hidden something that big from me? Why?”
“Because, much like you being an alchemist, if the wrong people find out about what I’m about to tell you it could affect me negatively. But I really want you to know.”
“I see… I guess that was insensitive of me." Yumia's posture softened and she looked down. "But if you're sure you want to share it with me then I promise to keep it to myself. On my honor as your friend.” Yumia said. She looked up again and cracked a stunningly soft smile that made Isla feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“Thank you Yumia…" Isla bent her right arm in front of her and grabbed her own arm tightly. "You really do remind me of her.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know that friend I talked about from back home? The one who I said reminded me of you?”
“Oh, yeah I remember her, she didn’t make it during the raid against your home city right?” Yumia’s smile straightened until it almost turned into a frown and again she tightly grasped her gun. Understandable, but Isla didn't want this moment to devolve into pity so she ignored the worry on Yumia’s face and decided to keep chasing the subject she was after.
“That’s right. So that’s the thing… What I haven’t told you yet is that she wasn’t just my friend…”
“Yeah, from what I’ve heard you say she must have been your best friend.”
“Well… You’re not wrong, but that’s not what I meant.” Yumia’s guess wasn’t the best, though she looked too cute when she leaned her head to the side so Isla couldn’t call her out for missing the obvious.
“Oh, so like colleagues or something like that?”
“No…” Isla couldn't help but wince slightly. Where in the world did that guess come from? “I meant that we were even closer than best friends.”
“Oh, so do you mean she was adopted into your family?”
“No that’s not it.” Isla grunted. What’s going on with all these ridiculous guesses of Yumia’s? How hard can it be to read between some at this point very thin lines?
“Oh… Was she your and Viktor’s actual sister?” Yumia held a hand at her mouth and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Was she illegitimate?”
“No!” These conclusions are just ridiculous. Who would even think about all these weird cases without picking up the correct oh so obvious one? “What I meant was that our relationship was even closer than that.”
“… I think you lost me Isla. She can't have been you mother since you were around the same age... You're really not making any sense to me.”
Isla finally had enough. She was practically boiling from frustration and stretched her arms right up into the air.
“Lesbians! Hooking up! Skinny wrestling! Yes two girls can do that with each other!”
Isla had shouted it right out without a care if someone could hear, but she was too sick of it all to care. Her sudden shouting had also made Yumia hunch and take a step back.
“Oh! You mean that… So she was actually your-?”
Yumia stopped and just stared at her from some weird semi crouching position.
“Girlfriend, yes.”
Isla let out a huge sigh. That was harder than building a freaking house. But at least what she wanted to tell was finally out there for Yumia to know regardless of its rough delivery.
“I see… So you lost someone that dear to you. I’m really sorry Isla.” Yumia frowned at her.
“Don’t sweat about it. Groveling on it won’t bring her back, and she wouldn’t have wanted me to either.”
“I see.” Yumia stood up straight again. Isla made a small smile to lighten the mood back up. “So why is this something you’ve kept so hidden?”
“Well, people attracted to the same sex aren’t exactly the most popular bunch back home. Had I been a commoner I might have been safe because people wouldn’t care enough about what I did. But as a noble everything I do is also a direct reflection of the family and expectations to keep the legacy going, would it come out my family might have no choice but to disown me lest our family lose the last legitimacy we have.”
“Oh… that’s so horrible.” Yumia looked down into the ground again. Yumia keeps going there, these are heavy topics but it's not pity Isla is searching for. But it did show that Yumia had understood why the matter had such gravity for her, or at least regarding the first part of the matter.
“Well, seeing you Yumia and how you’ve turned everyone around in their opinions regarding alchemists has given me hope that one day I too can be accepted in public just the way I am… Although I’m not quite ready to try yet.”
“I see.” Yumia stood in silence for a few seconds and tightly clenched her hands around her gun. “So does Viktor know?”
“Well… I’ve never directly told him, but I believe he managed to figure it out on his own. That’s the feeling I got back then at least. But he’s smart and supports me so I suspect he never brought it up to protect us both.”
“Wow… Not even your brother. I never knew you had so much to worry for Isla.”
“Well I don’t worry that much anymore, I've come to the conclusion that it won't help me. And I’ve been single since then so it’s not like it’s been hard to hide my preference. And now that I’ve gotten some worldly experience, if it comes to the worst maybe I can make a living as a mercenary.” Isla smiled, a big and over the top smile to send a signal for Yumia and this one she did pick and both of them giggled.
“So then… I’m the only one you’ve ever told?”
“Yes Yumia.” Isla clenched her fist, now it was time for the second and final part of why she wanted this meeting. “So how does it make you feel to hear this?”
“Well… I’d say it makes me happy that you feel safe enough to share this with me. It really makes me think of you as the closest friend I’ve ever had.”
“I see. And when I say that you remind me of her, how does that make you feel?”
“Happy too I guess. You obviously cared for and trusted her greatly, so while I’ve never met her it feels like I’m in good company at her side in your mind.” Yumia said it so heartfelt that it made Isla's face slowly shift to a frown.
“That so… Nothing more? Nothing about learning about my past, how few people I’ve trusted with this, and just what my unusual preference is?”
“More than happy you mean? I mean I doubt I can get happier than this. I’m not sure I can take that spot from your point of view, but I already see you as my best friend ever Isla!” Yumia said and grinned from ear to ear.
“……………” Isla crossed her arms. “You know Yumia… I used to think you were smart.”
“What! Where did that come from!?”
“From you acting like an idiot.” Isla furrowed her brows and then grunted in distaste right in Yumia’s direction.
“But Isla, what did I say that got you so angry?”
Isla closed her eyes and looked away.
“If you can’t figure it out then you don’t deserve to know.”
“Come on Isla! I’m still not good with the whole friend thing so I need all the help I can get.”
“Not my problem.”
“Isla please! Can’t you just forgive me?”
Isla turned completely away from Yumia, making sure she stood tall and in the exact direction away from Yumia.
“Then why don't you just tell me what I should forgive you for.”
“Well… Everything!”
“Wrong! Coward!” Isla hissed. That girl seriously has no clue what she’s done.
“Isla!”
“I’m going to sulk here. Leave me alone or I’ll get angry for real.” Isla snubbed Yumia.
“But… What about monsters?”
Isla grabbed her spear and thumped the butt end of it against the sand to show Yumia she could take care of herself, and this area’s proximity to the camp makes it well cleared of monsters anyway.
“But-“
“No buts!” Isla shouted to interrupt Yumia. “Now shoo!”
Isla turned and waved her spear in Yumia’s general direct causing her to slowly back in the direction of the camp. Isla furrowed her eyebrows and glared at the now almost crouching Yumia who made no more attempts to verbally protest. The stare off lasted a few seconds more until she broke Yuma's quivering gaze and she turned around and started walking away.
Yumia glanced over her shoulders a few times but Isla stood firm and watched her until a good distance had been established. Then she turned towards the lake, leaned against her spear and let out a huge sigh.
“Maaaaaan. That was a major strikeout. Sheltered straight girls can really toy with your heart… ” she said and rounded it out with another sigh.
Her mind and eyes wandered to find a let-out for all the frustration she had, and she found an innocent old log that had just happened to make the mistake of lying within striking distance of her spear, and it soon had several deep spear shaped holes in it.
“Can’t have it all I guess.” She sighed but then clenched her fist and managed to crack a smile, sometimes getting a bit violent is just the medicine you need to feel better.
Isla stood in silent thought for a while, pondering what this would mean going forward. But finally arrived at the conclusion there’s no point letting it get to her. Yumia won’t let out her secret at least, that she is sure of, the rest are problems for another day's Isla.
Isla turned towards the road where Yumia should have already disappeared towards the camp. But some distance away at the first bend in the road Isla saw nothing but the small figure of Yumia peeking out behind the cliff and looking right at her. Too worried to leave her alone after all, it would have been so sweet if not for her earlier stupidity.
Isla sighed and then giggled in short order. She leaned the spear against her body and then slapped her hands together so hard it was probably heard all the way over to Yumia.
“Okay then, it’s time to cheer up and move on forward. As long as I haven’t gotten a proper no, then that also means I haven’t officially struck out. Might just see it as a challenge even.” Isla took hold of her spear and started walking down the road towards where Yumia still stood waiting.
“You’re still an idiot though Yumia. A cute one I can’t deny, and you do know a thing or two about alchemy, but you’re definitely a major idiot when it comes to feelings... ”
Isla did end up meeting up with Yumia and walking back with her. After Yumia’s ramblings of forgiveness she accepted them as being best friends. But she absolutely refused to completely forgive Yumia unless she figures out on her own what needs to be forgiven, and unfortunately that didn’t end up happening this evening, but at the very least Yumia slept poorly due to the guilt.