"It was very nice of them to give us all this space." I joke, hoping making light of it would ease Nin's concerns. Everyone else but those from our dorm were avoiding this tram car, after all. Even our fellow Oddity House students who were normally not bothered by Nin. Of course, it was easy to tell that what Nin was had long since spread into everyone's minds.
Easiness they had around him had turned into caution, subtle or otherwise. Yet, for now, it did not matter, what mattered was that I finished making adjustments to Nin's cape! Thankfully, these tram cars had very lovely tables for me to keep stuff on. And, somehow, despite how they twirled about these great stone lines, it was all stable.
"Is there much point in filling ourselves up with spiral-tram service?" Tiyanat asks as her sister happily wafts a menu back and forth like a fan.
"She has a point, Larishazza, I'm sure there will be plenty of food at the party."
"A party that won't happen for hours! We skipped breakfast dammit!" she swears before she slams the menu down with a pout. A smile came back in short order, though. And I smiled myself at her continued upbeatness. Despite her fidgeting and other pestering gestures born of boredom and anticipation.
I then turned my attention to Vadei, "Is it holding up alright?" I ask her while putting emphasis on what I was doing. She was fully aware of my skill at sewing, so all she had to do was ask. Or, in this case, accept it.
"Y-Yeah, it's fine." she mumbles before once again, for what was the dozenth time this minute, pulling it up.
"Stop pulling at it, then, you'll undo the obi." I tell her while carefully watching how she behaved. She was looking at Nin a lot who was mostly looking out the windows. The mountains we once trekked through and flew over were just zooming past us. And, I had to admit, it was an entrancing sight, seeing the light from above break through the gaps in mountainsides and low-hanging peaks.
"So... Where do you think we are going?" Vadei asks as she carefully moves over to the seat in front of me. Yet, once she was done doing that, the door to our tram car opened.
"Baltanthan!" I call out happily as I get up to go meet our friend. And, when I saw him, I couldn't help but gasp in awe at how well dressed he was. It was like he had someone weave gold and bronze into an ornate robe and cloak. One that was just covered with images that conveyed pride and strength.
"Greetings Loser House." he jokes confidently before he puffs out his chest. And, behind him, was a whole tram car's worth of people curiously watching him.
"You're certainly popular." I laugh out as he became the centre of attention for those in this tram car as well.
"Hey, cheer up, shiny shell! Party is in honour of my house!" he then says to Nin once he made his way over there. Yet, Nin kept his gaze facing the window. He even kept it up long enough for Baltanthan to start getting annoyed.
Which is when I got involved again, "So, what's it like being in the winning House?" I ask him. Quite happy to nurture his pride just this once as he most certainly earned it from what I had learned.
"Great, especially when it was you who took the treasure we were all fighting over!" he guffaws loudly before he dusts his knuckle on his chest.
"So you've been having fun?" I rhetorically ask before giggling.
"Indeed, the strangest thing has happened too..." he started to say before there was a loud commotion coming from the other tram car.
"What're they all doing?" Larishazza asks before her mouth drops open when everything around us seemingly disappeared.
"WHAT IS THAT!?" Vadei asked in excitement as the suddenly see-through tram car revealed to us a grand statue that dwarfed the nearby mountains.
"Segaansalis..." Baltanthan mutters as we speed towards the silent giant with a sword-shaped head. Another, greater one in his mighty arms that plunged deep into the earth below to rest. A great support for a greater work of art.
"Now that is impressive." I mutter as I lose myself in all the ancient detail this giant statue had. Which somehow could all still be seen despite how old it clearly was.
"What did you say its name was...?" Nin then asks as he gets up. His expression serious while his posture showed signs of curiosity.
"Segannsalis, my roommate said that was its name. One of seven ancient constructs that, in theory, dates all the way back to the Dietic Age." he explains with clear awe. Which, made him fit in quite well.
"That's one of the names for Undwote's hounds, though?" Nin reminds us all.
"Yes, apparently, they all take their names from one of those things. Yet, their names do not translate the same way, somehow."
"What does this giant's name mean, then?" Nin asks as we all start to turn around as we speed away.
"Sword-Faced Giant, I recall." Baltanthan answers.
"Well, it is straight to the point!" I quip as that piece of art really did have a sword for a head. Yet, our tram seemed to be slowing down. At least, until we suddenly whipped around and started to ride up a mountain.
"Hey, look! It's Quinshuu!" Larishazza lets out excitedly as she points down at the ground just before the spiral-tram goes back to normal. And, she was right, Quinshuu was indeed riding under us.
"We're this close to the party!?" I then blurt out before suddenly rushing to the table again to finish up with Nin's cape. I had no idea we were travelling that fast nor did I think we would be this close!
"No, I looked at the route beforehand, we're going into a junction." Tiyanat explains as we enter the mountain and start spiralling up it. Then, as if nothing had happened, we popped right out the mountain again. A flash of light then appeared at our window.
"HELLO QUINSHUU!" Larishazza screams through the window she just opened. One that I quickly slammed shut as all that wind was blowing my stuff all over the place.
"Help me pick this up!" I demand from her as she starts to groan. And, while she was picking up all the finer things with her magic. I decided to look at our friend on the outside as he enjoyed himself. Whatever that creature was, it was fast and its ethereal nature allowed it to avoid so much which might have otherwise slowed it.
"He's quite good on that." Rose comments as she watches the animal with interest.
"It probably helps that Lucky is a strong animal as well." Nin adds in as he comes on over and watches as well.
"That's a cute name." I say as Larishazza dumps my stuff onto the table. A layer of water still on most of it. But, Omb was kind enough to dry off the spiteful wetness.
"Thank you." I tell him before I get back to what I was doing before Baltanthan came in.
"So, uh, can I have some help, you two?" Baltanthan then asks me and Nin after he grabs our attention with nervous taps.
"With what?" Nin asks as I carry on modifying his cape.
"Well, since I grabbed the treasure and that... I've, gotten very popular. And, well, as you two are well, I was hoping I could get advice on how to deal with it."
"We're what...?" I ask slowly as a blush forms.
"Dating, you two are doing that, right?" he asks in confusion before Nin scoffs in amusement.
"No." and the feeling that goes through me is anger. Yet, I somehow manage to hold it in, despite his thoughtlessness.
"Oh, in that case, you have experience dealing with lots of attention, how did you get around it?"
"I found someone who was always there for me." Nin says with a clear, open intent as his soft gaze turns to Larishazza. And, that made me angry, even if she wasn't paying attention as she was playing some game with her sister.
"Ow!" I then let out after intentionally prickling myself with the needle.
"You alright?" Nin asks as his attention turns to me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a bit distracted and pricked my finger." I tell him as I clutch it in a way as to force more blood out.
"There, sorted." Baltanthan then says after he applies some of his magic to seal the tiny wound.
"Thanks..." I say with an out-of-it tone as I then get up to go clean my finger. I even made a point of ignoring Larishazza's offer to have her magic wash the blood away. Then, when I was on my own in the small little washroom. I just started to cry quietly...
Even when she made it clear that she was not interested in him. Even when I have been trying my hardest and have made it abundantly clear to Nin... He still only has eyes for her... I tried my hardest yet apparently that wasn't enough...
Then, a knock on the door, "Einervaene?" Rose called out before she realised I had left the door unlocked. And, we ended up pressed against each other in this small room.
"W-What!?" I ask her as I fail to wipe my eyes dry due to the crampedness she had created.
"I was worried for you, I know what you're doing."
"Don't be absurd... Just pricked my finger is all..." I lied, nearly choking on my words as the tears continued to flow. And, unexpectedly, she was able to get her arms up and around me to hug me.
"No, no you didn't." she correctly points out as she sighs against my chest.
"I don't know what to do..." I tell her as I start to weep more openly.
"As much as it pains me to say it, Einervaene. But, you just have to learn to accept it, the man you love might not always have his eyes on you." she explains as she starts to frown. And, I guess it made sense... Now that I remembered it, she did act odd on our first journey together. Maybe she was me back then, and I her Larishazza...
But, I could only wish I was her Larishazza, because then Nin might've actually... We might actually... That vision I had in the temple might actually already be a reality... But I wasn't Larishazza, I was Einervaene Bosphama...
"B-But, how can I get him to look at me like he does with her!?" I beg.
Yet, she shakes her head and the comforting hug changes in how it feels, "You know I could never tell you that, not when I have had my heart out for him for much longer..."
"Then just leave me alone..." I bitterly remark as I try to force my way around towards the mirror.
"No, trust me, you will need to listen to me, Einervaene. The experiences I have will give you the wisdom you need to navigate the emotional turmoil you are in." she quietly tells me.
"I don't need to listen to someone who started chasing after someone else when things got bad..." I spit out.
"We both turned our backs on him, back then. Do not act like you are above me in that regard. I might've taken longer to come back into his embrace, but you also helped pry open the way for his heart to be so tightly clasped by that beautiful woman." she reminds me before she finishes it off with a compliment towards her...
"Go away..." was all I could say as I started to slump in defeat at how, yes, this was my fault. I left Nin to fend for himself when he needed help. And, despite thinking we had gotten over that rough patch. The truth is, we hadn't.
Nin had completely surrendered his heart to the woman who made him want to carry on living... It was all a problem of my own making. I could perhaps try to slide some of the blame away. But, it always came back to that...
I would never be happy because I got scared once. I let myself be influenced by the people around me more so than my friend. One who was willing to help me get back home. To bring this exile of mine to an end...
And, Rose was indeed right. I had to learn to put up with it and make the best of what I had given myself. Yet, I did not know if I was humble enough to accept such a meagre amount. Could I even hold myself back enough to allow Nin to make his own choice...?
Or was I just going to force my own preferences upon him and shut him away even more?