Proud to be a Sheep
Act II: Chapter 6
Among the monsters Echo and I hunted, one of the most common ones we kept on encountering are the Sigbins and the Tiyanaks. Sigbins, up close, are smaller than I expected, crouched low to the ground with its strange, twisted body. Its long, bat-like ears twitched in every direction, almost like they could hear things I couldn't. Its limbs were thin and wiry, moving in these unnatural jerks, and its dark, patchy fur seemed to blend with the shadows around it. The weirdest part was how it walked backward, as if its hind legs were leading the way, with its whip-like tail swaying behind it.
I ordered a vanilla latte and took a seat at the edge of the shop near a window. It had ample lighting, and the seat was a very cozy bean bag. It felt like heaven. I grabbed the backpack and rummaged through the copy of the journal Tan had given me.
"The original journal had notes and information our client didn't want spreading. I asked for a copy for you to keep. Figured you might want one."
I was thankful, both for Tan's consideration of me and for the fact that the only missing information in this journal is the information about Carmuts and a few formulas. It had not only their information and description but also formulas and recipes for things I had no idea about and didn't bother trying to understand. I'd guess our client had to either be a Camut themselves or was ordered by one, to get the journal. I regret it now, what if one of the formulas are for the yellow syringe? What's the point in thinking about it? Plus, if Tan is as cautious as he had shown me, then he would've taken a picture of every single page of the journal before handing it over to his client.
Either way, let's focus on why I'm researching right now.
The new journal was colored by a thin layer of blue leather. I preferred the previous brown, I can't lie. Although the information about the Carmuts is missing, there are significantly more monsters listed here. It went from 56 to a whopping 217. This copy had more information, more specifications, more details, and is just overall better. It's more like an encyclopedia, I thought.
As I was scrolling through the pages, I heard the barista yell my name. "Vanilla Latte for Etsuko!"
I quickly got up and received my order, trying not to attract any attention, which I unfortunately had failed to do. "So this is where you were," said the girl blocking the way to my bean bag heaven.
At that time, I was looking at the floor, failing to create eye contact (I was never good at those anyway), and I really didn't care. All I wanted to do was get back to my research with my sweet coffee in hand.
"My eyes are up here, kid." Said the girl in a very familiar tone. I slowly scanned her, from her black boots, her tight leather trousers with chains, highlighting her thin waist and hourglass figure. Her petite body stood out as she wore a plain white top layered with a black cropped jacket. Her fashion is the definition of a hot biker girl.
"Yes, I ride a bike… I can tell what you're thinking. Everybody asks it. Also, feel free to talk to me about anything, as much as I don't think you can win against Einar, I still want the best for you. You've done both me and our squad a huge favor." Ember? I thought as my eyes finally reached her face. She was beautiful. Her short, wolf-cut covered portions of her small, oval-shaped face with clear, fair skin. A streak of her red hair covered her slightly almond-shaped and expressive eyes, highlighted with makeup that accentuated their size. Her nose was petite, and her lips were naturally full with a subtle curve. She has a soft, feminine jawline, and her overall facial features convey a blend of innocence and elegance. The way she dressed herself completely contrasts her bright, innocent look. Although I did find her extremely pretty, I didn't get butterflies in my stomach, instead I got a tight knot.
Kei? I thought, but I knew better than to let the thought blur out my mouth.
"What's up?" Ember said, as she let out an adorable grin, "I'll have you know, I have a boyfriend." She continued, trying to seem smug.
"You're…" I paused,
"Yeah?"
"Shorter than me?" That question earned me a kick to the shins. Making me bend down, having to rely on a nearby table for support.
"Who's taller now?" She said, this time without a grin. This time, looking down at me with her chin held high, arms crossed, and one of her eyebrows raised. She was still beautiful regardless.
We sat down at my previous bean bag table. She tried talking me out of trying to fight again, and instead opting to be a blacksmith or something, which wasn't a bad idea. But it wasn't a good one either. Not only is my artifact incapable of creating weapons that don't feel like plastic (though I will soon fix that), but I am also dogshit at being a salesman. I don't think being a businessman is the route for me.
"You can just apply to already existing shops and learn from the blacksmiths there, besides, I don't get why you're so keen on trying to fight these people. Didn't you say you came from a timeline much better than this?" Yes, but my life here is better already.
"Let's say you do win, then you get to go on to missions with us and risk your life every day trying to serve a client we won't always like." Yeah. And I'm excited for it.
"And not to insult you, but didn't you run away? When we were losing, we noticed you were gone from your spot. Don't get me wrong, that was the right move. But it makes me question if you have the bravery for this…"
We remained silent for a long time. I could tell she was looking at me with beautiful concerned eyes. I, on the other hand, was empty. I felt similar to when I was injected with the yellow serum, and I thought about it. Her question. Why? Well, it's simply because I want to. And this time, I'm not scared. I can't get scared.
"Because I have a chance." I replied.
She looked at me with a puzzled and surprised expression. "Didn't you listen to what I just said? Besides, even if you do have a chance, what about after the exam? What will you do then? Also, the exam is in a week. At least train with us until then, you'll need more than just your confidence. A lot more." I looked at her with stale eyes. I caught myself by surprise by how unaffected I am by this beautiful character. She's exactly how I imagined her to be.
Kei Grier…
"Don't worry," I said as I stood up from the bean bag. I finally found what I needed from the journal. "I have a plan. And as for the training, is it okay if we do it tomorrow?"