I spent the night with Ota.
As bad as that sounds, our time was spent being anything but physical then falling asleep.
I know some adults prefer to be cheered up physically and, well she did strike me like the type, I was dead wrong. I'm all too aware with how she feels about her own body and not once did she try putting herself out there... I think.
I refused to use my blessing to check her real intent. Right now, it's the one part of myself I'd like to pretend I didn't have, especially after learning about that... guy.
So we talked, and talked, and talked some more.
Hours upon hours, Clair even stopped by and we worked that miscommunication out, apparently she ran into out three tailed friend with Sinclair and they passed on the message along with some food.
We told each other about our pasts, our insecurities, our likes and dislikes. She's a lot more normal than I thought she was, even if she tended to act with her emotions over analysing the situation, the approach I preferred.
She also finally told me the real reason behind caring for me... pity. In her eyes I had a much harder life. I couldn't see it myself, but she explained it simply;
"You grew up with no family, hardly a home, and on top of that you fought day to day just to have enough food to barely survive. I had most of those things my entire life, you aren't a spoiled noble passing through life... just another survivor like me, just of a different war"
The biggest difference between us is also simple;
Regret.
I wouldn't change my past, because I'm now here from it. Even if it's hard at times, that it can feel like it's all over, it made me who I am and I've met amazing people along the way... including her.
Ota, on the other hand, wishes she was stronger, that she didn't lose her horn and could protect her family. She hates that she failed them and has sworn to make it right. Her past seemed infinitely more brutal than mine, filled incomparable pain.
It didn't seem right that she thinks my struggles are far worse than hers.
Throughout this time, not once did she cry. At least not loud enough for me to hear. Tears flowed from her eyes and I saw how strong she truly was. For someone to always put those feelings first... But never give in outside of sobbing...
She amazed me.
No longer was her muscles the source of her strength, it was now her heart as well.
As we headed out a back door and down some nearby steps I began to question how I felt about her. Was it still just admiration?
"We'll go back the long way"
"Huh, why?"
"You got those coins right? We need to find some presents"
"We do? How come?"
"It's Heroes Giving..."
"I... don't really know what that is"
"Didn't you have holidays where you're from?"
"Only New Year's I think... And even for that we didn't wake up at the crack of dawn"
"I wanted to show you the city before the snow melts. Also, did you celebrate birthdays in that orphanage?"
"No, it's tradition whoever adopts and names us to choose our birthday"
"Ah, makes sense"
Does it really? I never really stopped to think about why we did it that way. I'll add that to the list of ever growing questions...
Ota always woke up at this time, it was like her bodies muscle memory. Every day she had the same routine with her horns as well, wrapping bandages soaked in 'spirit water' around that missing section.
She told me that it could only be fixed with strong healing magic that didn't originate from faith, as the spell itself used to rip it off shared the same origin, leaving behind a 'holy curse'. A female Oni's horn is covered in skin and blood rushes through it, resulting in the problem she occasionally faces and why she's been trying to keep her cool recently.
When we fought when I first met her, I caused the little progress she had of her skin sealing the tip naturally to have all gone to waist.
She blamed herself for this after learning a little bit about me on the carriage ride here after the duel, whilst her relic melded with her heart.
Unfortunately I ended up sleeping with my back against the side of her bed.
"Man, my back still hurts"
*whack*
"That help?"
"Hey don't slap me- Huh, yeah it did"
"Haha!"
The Red Leaf Street, from what I understood, is an area that lies in the centre of the Canopy District with two main entrances. On one end, a tunnel was cut through the bone connecting to a large main street heading directly out of the city.
While the other is through a large hole that would of been the dragons nose, I think.
With a scale so insane it's hard to comprehend any of it.
"Sooo... do we even know if the snow storm stopped?"
"It doesn't matter if it has or not, today is one of three days that no matter what, has good weather"
"Uhh, how?"
"Magic, duh"
So I guess Enda or some other mage? Well she might have some sort of artifact she could use as well, she has so much weird stuff, the tower storerooms are practically littered with them. I recall when I first met her, she told me her staff covered a massive area with a natural looking fog.
It's a distance comparable to over a day's travel on foot alone, maybe stetting the weather for a few days a year didn't seem so crazy.
"Will anything be open today then?"
"Yeah of course, this is like, their most profitable day open"
At least she's in high spirits now... after yesterday I was worried she'd be down for a while. I didn't think that getting things of her chest would be such a relief, regardless, I don't want to see that terrified look on her face again.
I need to get stronger, strong enough to stop something like this from ever happening.
It was theorised I could resist the self-proclaimed goddess sympathy blessing, maybe I should test that idea on the young master. I doubt Ota would be on board for such a thing, so I'll talk to Arisu and Enda in private about it later, more importantly;
"What gifts do we get?"
"Let's pick out some winter clothes for each other then, neither of us have any right?"
"That's true, well you could always make yours too"
"So what, wear nothing underneath? A bold strategy, I wonder what would happen if I lost my drive for even a second?"
"I didn't mean it like that! I'm not a pervert alright?"
"Yeah yeah, that's what they all say"
This was her way of being playful, and up until yesterday, I hardly ever saw it outside of sparring banter. I liked this part of her.
A few minutes later we arrived at the ramp leading upwards, with another next to it going down.
"Where does that go?"
"Hmm? Oh, that heads to the water elevator"
"Uhh"
"It's a thing you stand on that takes people up and down to the ground, it's attached to one of the big front tooth's. We can check it out if you want"
"No it's fine, I'll take a look later. Is there another on-"
"Yeah but it's private, as in it's military, same with the ramp on that side to"
"They take security really seriously then"
"Yeah they have to, it's a neutral city after all, in a great position too. They built this place to be impenetrable from every angle, just wait till you hear about the underwater part"
"Underwater... Does Ru live there?"
"Because she's a Water-Born?"
"Ah-yeah?"
"You know they're amphibious right? As for her, she lives with that wiggly sword guy in the Crafting District"
"I think you just indirectly damaged Red's pride"
I know his real name now, but just like with Rider, it felt off so I just stuck with the nickname.
I need a map of this place. Without seeing one, I'll probably just get lost until I explore the whole place.
Sunlight beamed down on us as we exited out the top of the ramp. We were sounded on all sides by snow covered buildings of at least two stories tall and we exited out onto a wide street that led back towards the tower.
On each side, metal lampposts dotted each curb with large crystal chunks on top ready to provide light during the night. Connecting between each post I saw lush green vines with varying colourful flowers that lit up at random times, the result of druidic magic for certain.
I thought that kind of magic was banned?
It was certainly a sight to behold and I could love to stand and admire it, if it wasn't so damn cold.
"Ok, it's freezing, what are you doing?"
"Squats. Do it, then we'll run to a store I know, they'll be open"
"Right then... *huff* How do you-"
"A... Visitor... Anyway, they open at the first light. I worked for them last year and they had me dress up in a strange short skirt outfit to advertise their shop. They have good winter clothes, ok?"
In other words, someone who 'visited' the brothel at some point, then hired Ota to wear skimpy clothing. If she went along with it... wait... maybe she thinks it's normal because of her home.
Nah, she's shameless already anyway. Whenever we are in the Towers hot spring, she doesn't even wear a towel... not to mention how I first met her back at that fort...
"Huh..."
"They sell warm and tight clothing, with very little fabric. They're good"
"I'm not sure this is a good idea..."