First assault

"Good morning, Myooji! Did you sleep well?"
Iisai's glimmering eyes greeted Myooji as she turned around and looked straight into them.
"Hmm, yes, good morning" She answered, rather nervous.
"You look really pale, did you sleep well?"
�There was a look of worry on his face.
"Umm, I didn't sleep as long as I meant to, but.." She sighed.
"Anyway, I want some breakfast now.."
She heard that Iisai was following her from a safe distance. Myooji hoped and wished that Iisai had not yet heard too much about her and Drake's conversation. Once they reached the kitchen, she noticed from a mirror hanging on a wall that Iisai was staring at her. Just staring with a blank face.
I wonder what's on his mind.. Myooji pondered, stepping in the kitchen line.
"Morning, Nomi" she shouted over the crowd.
Nomi waved her hand with a smile on her face.
"Did you sleep well, sweetheart?"
"Hmm, not really.." Myooji wondered how many people knew about last night.
"You're still meaning to leave today?"
Nomi asked when Myooji got close enough.
"What? You're gonna go?!"
Iisai was obviously shocked.
"You'll leave? Just like that?"
"Calm down, hey, I've got tons of work to do"
Myooji lied. She wished Iisai's eyes wouldn't be so dang huge...
"But.. The whip.."
"Mmm.. How is it, now, done?"
"Yeah, but... you should try it out.."
"What for? I don't think you've screwed it up, or anything" Myooji smiled.
Iisai grinned widely.
"Maybe I haven't, but I've never taken payment from a job, unless it's flawless. Or as flawless as it can be."
Myooji's breakfast was the regular one, toast and marmalade, milk and some imported fruits. Iisai was looking at her food with an envying look.
"Where's my toast and honey?" he asked looking after Nomi.
"There's no toast and honey for you today, smileyface"
She smiled and handed Iisai a big bowl of something that looked of something between soup and oatmeal.
"Almond porridge!" Iisai almost jumped up from his chair.
"Yup, I think I know what you like" Nomi said and hugged Iisai.
"Happy birthday, darling."
Iisai hugged Nomi tight.
"Thank you thank you thank you!"
Myooji looked at this picture-perfect moment and hid her smile behind her toast. He really enjoys of the little things of life.. she thought.
After finishing her breakfast, Myooji left to take a look at her precious whip. When she had asked Iisai if she could visit his room, the boy had just nodded and returned his attention to his favourite breakfast. Myooji hoped that there was no thing terribly private in his room, as she wouldn't want to cause any harm around. For her great relief, the whip was on Iisai's desk, on some blueprints that she didn't look any closer. It seemed to be alright, no missing parts or unnecessary weight. To her, it looked just the same as before.
"Let's hope I haven't been keeping up false hopes about this.."
She mumbled while walking out of the room.

Drake almost bumped to her as she stepped out.
"Fool! Watch where you're going!" she snarled at him.
"Good morning to you too!" He smiled at her.
Or maybe more like grinned. Myooji sighed.
"Really... How can you always be so cheerful?"
"Me? Oh, I'm not really cheerful. You just highly amuse me"
"Great. That's even better. I hope you haven't spread around anything false about last night"
Drake's eyes widened 'innocently'.
"How can you say that? I'm not the type to spread anything false" He choked a chuckle.
"Good, because if you would, I'd snap your limbs and make soup of you for dinner."
That said, she passed him with a dark smile on her face and went to look for Iisai. Drake was left standing in the hall, trying to decide whether she might really do that or not. He couldn't tell for sure when it came to her. As Myooji reached the main hallway, she felt a mild vibration coming from her left wristband. It gave out a faint beeping sound. She looked at the small screen and halted. A slight frown formed to her face as she saw the detail of the signal showing.
Iisai was standing in the dining room, looking how two goblins were hanging some decorating to the walls. The ceiling window was open, letting in a warm breeze from the desert. A smile was lingering on his lips, and he closed his eyes, path of sunshine casting rough shadows on his face. He heard fast footsteps enclosing, like someone running, and curiously opened his eyes, only to see a shadow suddenly falling in from the window. It was falling, and it seemed to be falling right at him. He froze. Then, the footsteps suddenly ended, apparently to a jump, and he felt a pressure throw him to the floor. Something had tangled to him and they both rolled under a table. Iisai looked up shocked and saw Myooji gasping, already climbing off him to her feet and away from the table.
"STAY THERE!" She shouted.
It was an order, a direct one.
Iisai was even more shocked. Firstly, she had touched him with her full body as they had lied on top of each other for that one second (which he had however noticed rather well), and second of all, the expression on her face would have frightened a psycho troll enough to make him flee. There was a flash and he saw white blue light that restlessly lingered above the floor like a snake. He got halfway away from under the table to see better. There she was, standing in front of the shadow guy, fingers tightly squeezed around the plasmawhip which plasma slowly circled her. Light blue light, that would burn it's way through flesh, making it rot and die.
How nice, thought Iisai sarcstically.
The person that had made his way through the window was armed with two long knives and a white combat suit. A desert troopie. It took a while for Iisai's brains to catch up with that, because why in the world would a desert toopie come in from the window, armed like for a battle. It didn't make any sense.

During those split seconds that Iisai had time to wonder and stare, the two of those had barely moved. It was like both were waiting for the other one to make the second move. Finally, Myooji spoke.
"`What do you want? If it's service you wish, I recommend you use the front door."
She moved a bit back to left, knowing from that angle it was easier to cover for the boy.
"My equipment is fine. I'm here for a person called Thales. I just want him, little girl, others I may leave alone"
Came a snarling answer.
"Hand him over."
"Hardly. I think you're going to have to overcome me first, l i t t l e b o y"
Iisai had never really realized how low, hoarse voice that woman had. 'Little boy' sent shivers down his spine. He rushed at her, jumped and stuck out one of the knives. She dodged, swung the whip and somersaulted. He dodged but gained a hit to his side, threw a knife at her, barely missing his target by an inch. Myooji landed from a side jump, to the troopie's annoyance, next to Iisai again.
"Listen! I don't want to get serious, child! I like you, you can fight, but I'm afraid the result is obvious. I don't want to hurt you, so just hand him over, I'll let you go." He panted, slightly holding his side.
"Too long a speech" Was all she responded and slashed at his right leg, making him trip. She had obviously met too many empty-talkers like him. The troopie fell to the floor, and suddenly rolled under the table, to Iisai. However, Myooji had already pulled him up, and tossed behind her back.
" Stay behind me unless I tell you otherwise. That is vital."
She was so calm. Iisai stared at her from behind back.
"Who the hell are you anyway to fight like that?"
His voice shoke and eyes wouldn't move off her.
"What? I have told you. I am an Atrac. Atrac Myooji. While you happened to be lucky, the dear amateur bounty hunter here had an extraordinary bad day."
He had risen to his feet again.
"An Atrac?" came an unsure question and he hastily explored her.
"You?"
"Me. Yes. Indeed. That doesn't make you shiver, Little boy, now does it?"
"Are you insane? They never said anything about an Atrac! I'm out of here!"
With that, he threw one of his knives at the ceiling's windowsill and triggered a mechanism in his belt connected to the rope which had been tied to the knife pulling him up. For a split second, Myooji considered of following him, but didn't see it worthy the trouble. He would die anyway when he returned without Iisai's head. Besides, why would have anyone spoke to him of an Atrac, this boy was not in protection of one. Her master would have scolded her for saving this boys hide for free, not to talk about chasing after the scum. The goblins who had been in the room and had ran away when the action had started now returned with a large group of others in arms. All that had taken less than two minutes. Myooji turned to face Iisai.
"Seems to work just fine, or what do you think?" as she saw his face she added,
"The whip, I mean."

For the rest of the day, goblin patrols were all over the town. Not only were the streets full of armed guards of all sorts, also the rooms of Tinkers' Union HQ had become very crowded. One after another, the guard captains were questioning Iisai over and over again, but the boy didn't seem to have any clue what was going on. After a few hours of this, Iisai hid himself under the kitchen table. Little later, Myooji peeked in.
"Oh, there you are" she smiled.
Iisai's face stayed blank.
"Are you ok?" Myooji sat next to him.
"Hmm, I guess I am.." Iisai sighed.
It was obvious that he was lying.
Poor boy, Myooji thought. I don't think anyone would be ok after a day like this.
Iisai leaned on his knees.
"One heck of a birthday, don't you think?" he sighed, trying to smile.
Myooji nodded.
"Don't worry" she tried to comfort him.
"I'm sure the rest of the day will go a lot better."
Iisai looked at Myooji.
"You're sure..?"
"Heh, no I'm not, but I hope, I really do."
Iisai smiled. Faintly, but smiled. After a moment of complete silence, broken only by the questions of those annoying guard captains, Myooji patted Iisai's shoulder.
"Let's get you something to eat, and go outside. I'm sure we're not welcome here, once those captains invade the house completely."

The idea was a good one, theoretically. A goblin guard standing on the doorway refused to let Iisai out of the house, due to 'security issues'. Being almost twice as tall as this little goblin, Myooji leaned over and snorted.
"Do you not know who I am? I'm an Atrac, do you honestly think I couldn't look after one man?"
She had learned to ignore the dread people who knew of Atracs gave her and take advantages due to it with no shame. They feared her anyways, why not take something good out of it, was her logic. The goblin looked up at Myooji with annoyed and nervous face.
"Remember, lass, if something happens to him, you'll get your head chopped into half pound pieces."
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you"
Myooji grinned and almost walked over the guard. Iisai followed without any questions, even though Myooji was sure he would have wanted to apologize her behaviour. After walking down the most quiet streets they found, they reached one of the three gates leading to the endless-seeming deserts.
"Shall we get out of here? There's not much to see, though, except some turtles and rocs" Iisai asked with a grin.
Myooji was happy to notice that some fresh air had done good for the little boy. Well, of course he was not all that little physically, but mentally, that was another thing.
"Sure, show me some turtles, will you?" Myooji smiled.
She really would want to see those poor turtles living in a place like this. Outside the walls were stabled a large variety of horses, camels and the weirdest of all, a mechanical chicken.
"See that chicken?" Iisai pointed at it.
"I built it."
As Myooji went to take a closer look at it, it suddenly turned its head. Now she was facing two lime green eyes, that seemed to be glowing.
"Don't worry, it won't bite you" Iisai laughed.
Obviously he had gotten used to see human sized mechanical before, but for Myooji, it would still take some time.
"Hmm, is this thing rideable?" Myooji asked, walking around the chicken.
This must be the acting-up chicken they were talking about, Myooji decided amused. It sure looks like it could do some real damage.
The chicken must have weighed somewhere about 500 pounds, and its feet were equipped with large talons.
"You can take down a raptor with those"
Iisai said with proud, wishing Myooji would see the great benefit. But no, Myooji did not quite see what was so great in killing something that had been extinct for millions and millions of years. Or maybe Iisai had been in some place she hadn't. After a long, unpleasant silence, Myooji opened her mouth.
"Can this thing carry the two of us?"
"Ofcourse it can! What makes you doubt it?"
"Nothing, I just asked" Myooji said, scratching her head. I sure hope these won't be my last words.

As Myooji was bouncing up and down on that blank-eyed chicken, her fears seemed vain. The chicken's steps were stable enough, and Iisai obviously knew what he was doing. They were heading west, along the Camel Mountains.
"Hey, what made you build a thing like this?" Myooji shouted to the wind, over Iisai's shoulder.
"Well, to be honest, I've never liked horses, camels even less. They don't like me, either, so we get along just fine"
Iisai shouted back, trying to look at Myooji and the road ahead of them at the same time. It was good, that he was even able to see anything, as the wind was blowing tons of sand from every direction. For Myooji's irritation, there was only one pair of goggles, so she had to protect her vision some other way. After a few dozen yards she found out that the easiest way was to simply to hide her face on Iisai's shirt. Now, if Iisai would have had to stop suddenly, she would have probably broken her nose. Luckily, the ride was surprisingly steady and smooth, except for some bumps when they had to avoid hitting the few beasts and plants of desert. Though Myooji didn't see too much, she did notice huge, red birds flying after them.
"Iisai, what the heck are those?" She shouted, patting Iisai's shoulder. Iisai looked back hastily.
"Oh, those, they're rocs. They ain't dangerous, don't worry."
Myooji couldn't help worrying what those carrion birds could do. For all the time they were running along dynes and huge rocks, the birds stayed far behind. They followed the party all the way to the shoreline. The steady ride ended into a huge wind blasting against them, tripping the mechanical mount on its side. After the sand had settled, Myooji started to look around, wishing Iisai didn't get hurt or hit by anything. After a moment, she noticed that Iisai had gotten away with as little bruises as she had, herself.
"Well, that's not the way it was supposed to go, but here we are, now"
Iisai smiled, looking at the sea. Myooji looked the same way, facing an endless, coral blue ocean that matched her eyes.

Oh my god...It's so beautiful.., Myooji though by herself.
"So, here's where the turtles nest?" She followed Iisai from a little distance.
"Yes, I'm sure we'll see some soon."
They had reached the border where ocean met thirsty earth. Iisai looked around.
"See that? There�s some, laying on the sand"
He pointed her the spot and started running like a small child, really excited. He seemed so cheerful that Myooji couldn't help but to smile at the change from few hours ago. She went after him and saw him climbing on one of the giant things. Her eyes widened as she got closer, cause that was when she truly realized the size of those animals. They were about 5 feet tall, not much shorter than herself. Teo went pale. Iisai waved at her, laughed and reached to her his hand.
"C'mon, it will let us ride it!"
Myooji shook her head, slightly backing off.
"I would only ride on that thing if the life of my client would depend on it..."
But Iisai didn't listen to her. He jumped down and approached her, suddenly making her very nervous.
"Oi, listen, why won't we just build a sandcastle and-Hey! Let go of me!"
Iisai had grabbed her from her waist, very brave of him, and bent her over his shoulder.
"Now, there's nothing to worry about. It's all steady and safe."
With that, he threw her to the turtle's back. She gave out a very un-Myooji-like scream and clung onto the turtle with all her might. Iisai followed, and helped her sit up.
"I'm going to kill you for that! How dare you!?" She shouted at him, face red.
Iisai bent backwards, away from her as far as he could.
"I just-I just thought that-that you'd really like riding it and if you didn't because you didn't dare, you'd be sorry later...."
Iisai blushed, back to his former self that had felt nervous just about shaking hands with her. For a moment it looked like she was going to hit him, but then she turned around to face the direction the turtle was facing. Then, it suddenly buckled forward. Myooji gasped, the movement made her almost fall off, unprepared. Iisai too, had trouble staying on with the small space they shared on it. He pondered whether she would get upset if he used her waist as something to what to hold on to.
"Um...are you mad at me? I mean... I didn't mean to upset you I-"
"I know"
And that was all the answer he got.

The ride was full of bumps, and one of the strongest ones threw both of them harshly forwards. Iisai hastily grabbed her, saving her from falling and getting overrun by mass worth of 1500 pounds. As they sat up again, she halfway turned backwards to face him. Iisai looked at her, seeing something in her eyes such as mild shock and great relief. She was slightly shaking. Her nails had dug their way to his arms that were still lightly folded around her. They just looked at each other and Iisai could feel a wall falling from between them.
"Are you okay?" He asked and she turned her face away.
"Yeah. Thanks..."
"Hey, it's nothing. Uh-huh! Look, it's heading to the water!"
The turtle had indeed started to walk to the ocean.
"Time to get off!" Iisai stated cheerfully again and added,
"Ready? Jump!"
"What-?"
But Myooji couldn't finish as Iisai had already pulled her down with him, and the turtle dived out of sight. They swam to the shore and wandered under a palm tree, to dry off.

"Well, how was it?" Iisai grinned, staying away from Myooji's reach.
"Can't say that I loved it" She replied looking at Iisai.
"If you'll do that to me again, I'll drown you, trust me."
"Oh, come on, I know that you liked it. In some way, at least."
Myooji shook her head, refusing to admit anything at all.
"No way. That was even worse than riding on that chicken, and that's a lot."
Iisai's smile vanished.
"You�re saying.. You didn't like the chicken? What was wrong with it?"
"Well, try everything" Myooji snorted.
She was not very happy of being dragged on a huge turtle that could have crushed them both with one step, getting thrown into ocean and being harassed by a crab that had now mysteriously disappeared. She tried not to look Iisai into the eyes, since she could feel that he had taken those words as a personal insult.
"Well, if it was all that horrible" Iisai said coldly,
"You can just as well walk back."
Myooji heard Iisai standing up and walking to the opposite direction. After a moment, she turned to look after him. He was still walking down the shoreline, and was now out of the range of hearing.
I wonder where he's going, Myooji pondered.
The chicken is the other way.
She stayed, refusing to go after him, no matter how badly her conscious shouted and begged. Myooji noticed a turtle looking at the same way she was, and it made her wonder, if that turtle understood anything about this situation. It had a fish in its mouth, and about a dozen of baby-turtles were begging for feeding, but the turtle just stared away. Myooji lowered her head and leaned against her knees.
He'll be back.

The sun was setting into the ocean, as Myooji woke up. She had no idea what had made her to fall asleep in the first place, but the thing that shook her out of the dream world once and for all was the fact, that Iisai's chicken was not there no more. She looked around, trying to find any sort of evidence of Iisai's presence. Or anyone�s. But no, there was no one but her and the turtles. Alright, alright, keep cool now, Myooji thought.
I'll be alright, I know the way we got here, so I know the way out, as well.
It wasn't as simple as she thought. Of course she knew how to follow the mountainside but would it eventually lead her past the white, safe walls of Sairin. Myooji stood there, feeling lost. Her worst fear was not how she would get back to the town, but where Iisai had gone. Myooji had hard time to believe that Iisai would just have dumped her here, in the middle of nowhere. Or, middle of nowhere was still in the middle of something, this was far from it. But then something made her heart to skip a beat.
"Myooji, MYOOJI!"
No matter where she looked, she couldn't see the one shouting, and the rising wind made the voice unrecognizable. She was not the only one to hear the shouts. Turtles all over the coast rose their heads to see what was causing it. They all looked south, where Iisai had last been. When there's tons of sand in the air, you can't except to see much, but Myooji still felt bad when she realized that her eyes couldn't do anything. As a matter of fact, the wind was getting so hard, it was almost impossible to keep eyes open. Myooji closed her eyes and turned her back on the wind. She leaned against the palm tree, hoping the wind wouldn't throw her into the sea. Then someone grabbed her by the shoulders.
"What the hell are you still standing there for!? You'll get us both killed!"
Though she still couldn't open her eyes, she now recognized the voice.
"Iisai! Where did you vanish?!"
"No time for that, come on!" He grabbed her by her hand and pulled through the sandstorm into nowhere.

After a small eternity, Myooji was still trying to catch her breath. She was sitting in a small hole between huge boulders. Iisai was sitting right next to her, rubbing his eyes. "Goddamn this, this didn't go well, not at all" he grumbled.
His hair was full of sand, and his skin was ripped open of some parts. It looked very painful. Myooji took a long breath.
"So, where did you vanish like that?" she asked, looking accusingly at Iisai.
"Nowhere important" he snorted.
"Hmm, are you still mad at me for what i said? Isn't that a bit.. too much?"
Iisai stayed silent. Myooji poked him gently.
"It can't be that bad, come on, tell me."
Iisai sighed.
"It's just.. Building mechanics has always been the one thing I feel good at. It's like.. Meaning of my life."
He looked Myooji in the eyes.
"You know that feeling, don't you?"
Myooji nodded. She sure knew it. They were sitting there, now completely silent. They ignored the horrible rage of the sandstorm.
"Hm, are these storms always like this?"
Myooji asked, partly for curiosity, partly because she wanted to break the silence.
"Nah, you wish, this is nothing yet. If we would have been caught in a big one, we wouldn't be alive no more."
She shivered.
"Like, it would have tore the flesh off our bones?"
"Yeah, pretty much like that"
Iisai said, like it would have been something mundane. Myooji looked at Iisai. He looked tired and pretty beaten, and his skin was more or less in pieces.
"Hey, I just thought.." She started, rising her eyes.
"If you want, I could get those wounds healed in no time."
"Could you?" Iisai asked, looking at his arms.
"Hm, I'd love that. These are sorta.. Painful."
Myooji smiled. It didn't seem like Iisai would have gotten hurt badly. There was no sign of pain or suffering in his eyes.
"This might burn a bit, but just a very bitty bit"
Myooji warned as she grabbed a small container from one of her pockets. Iisai sat silent and held out his arm.
"Go ahead, if it won't kill me, it will only make me stronger. I hope..."
Myooji held his hand in place as she started to spread the salve on his skin. She noticed that Iisai was biting his lip.
"Didn't I just say it's gonna hurt?" she smiled encouraging.
"Yeah, but you said 'a bitty bit'. This is not my idea of a bitty bit pain" Iisai grinned with strain.
His shirt had gotten its share of the power of the sandstorm, and was a little torn from the edges.
"Hmph, another shirt ruined" Iisai mumbled while Myooji had moved onto the another arm.
"Nomi ain't gonna like this."
"Oh, she should just be pleased that you're still alive" Myooji stated.
Iisai nodded.
"Just remember to tell that to her, too. Okay?"
Myooji smiled, and nodded too.
"I promise."
The silence that fell around them was everything but uncomfortable. It actually made the storm seem to be somewhere very far away, and the hole they were sitting in seemed almost like home.

Chapter 1 - Chapter 3