The town they arrived in was small, but even so, was bigger than the one they had spent the night at. There was more city life, even if the fields around the town were buzzing with life and workers, in this place you could see some people walking around.
"This place..." Said Raven with a grim tone in her voice but Fuwa interrupted her.
"This place is lovely!" She said very happy, for someone used to the bustling metropolis where she had grown quiet places like this were amazing "Oh sorry, did you say something?"
"Nothing" She said faking a smile.
It took them almost three hours to reach the town outskirts, the guards that were on vigil tried to stop them but Raven just told Fuwa to ignore them and they continued, it would be a pain to explain anything, after all this was the only road to the dungeon but they hadn't used it when they went there, so they were suspicious in their eyes. Fortunately, they were just townspeople militia and not real guards that would have an organized company. Not that it matters to Raven at last.
The people in the town looked at both girls with bad eyes and some even closed their windows, it seemed they weren't very welcoming to the guests.
'Well we are not Minato's group after all, no reason for them to receive us or anything' Raven thought, they were smart not to be so trusting.
Fuwa looked like a tourist, the buildings, at least on the outskirts of the town looked rustic but rushed, as if they were made in a hurry, more out of necessity than to make it look good or safe.
"Halt!" Screamed a mustache man, he was skinny but somewhat muscular.
Both girls looked at each other and then to the man, soon other people began to join him, they were armed with wooden clubs and rusty swords.
"If you guys are looking for trouble..." Said Raven smugly "You don't have to look more, cause I'm here to satisfy you"
"Raven don't start!" Fuwa said hurriedly, then faced the people.
The people looked annoyed with the answer provided by the cat girl, but Fuwa noticed they were afraid after all the guards had probably set an alarm about them coming to the town, with Raven's bad attitude it wouldn't be strange. None acted at all, after all, people normally are afraid to die, and these guys were just protecting their land.
"We are looking for the adventurer's guild" Said Fuwa with open arms showing that she didn't have any intention to fight "Minato recommended a dungeon nearby and after going there the clerk told us we could get inscribed here"
The people looked between them confused and a little more calm, but still, they were nervous.
"Hey if Minato recommended them they must not be bad people... right?" Asked a guy holding something like a giant fork, Fuwa recognized it as a farming tool.
"Don't get tricked easily!" Said another one.
"We are not ricking anyone" Said Fuwa showing them the pelts of the monsters from the dungeon "We collected this loot"
The people looked surprised, they obviously recognized it. But then they looked more and more confused, how are people strong enough to go inside that place not registered already? Only suspicious people would be like that.
"I see you guys don't understand" Said Raven putting the people on guard again "We are passing on good terms... or over you, it's your choice"
"The guild is over there!" Said a person pointing toward a big building.
"Good boy!" Said Raven walking toward him and petting his head "See it wasn't so hard?"
Then she began to walk towards the place, Fuwa gave some steps turned around and bowed, and continued to chase the girl, she was a little annoyed by the bad attitude that Raven had shown them.
"Hey! You can't treat people like...!" Fuwa began to complain but then she noticed the face of Raven, her good humor had changed.
Raven's face wasn't smiling, she didn't look mad or annoyed, but something chilled Fuwa's blood, her eyes, there was something in her eyes, like a cold anger, she was really going to kill those people back there but she hadn't noticed it. For some reason, her mood had shifted after they walked here.
'What's going on?' Fuwa felt confused, she walked beside her and gave her a little playful bump using her body "Hey, what's up?"
Raven smiled and looked at her.
"Nothing, this place really looks like the place where I was born" She said.
"Ohhh you miss your home?" Asked Fuwa with curiosity.
Raven paused for a moment and closed her eyes, her eyes remained closed as she took a deep breath, her lips curving into a bittersweet smile "Miss it? Not exactly" Raven's deep voice sounded cold as ice. She opened her eyes again, but they didn't hold their usual glint of mischief. Instead, they seemed distant, like her mind was somewhere far away.
Fuwa, sensing the shift in her tone, walked silently by her side. She wasn't sure what to say, but it was clear that Raven was hiding something.
"Let's get registered in the guild and get out of here" She said with a cynical smile that masked the storm raging inside of her.
They reached the large wooden doors of the guild, its worn sign creaking gently in the breeze. Raven didn't hesitate, pushing the doors open with a force that made a few heads inside turn toward them. Fuwa followed, her gaze scanning the room. The interior was filled with adventurers of various ranks, their conversations low but steady as they drank or discussed missions. A large board near the back was cluttered with quests, and a bored-looking receptionist sat behind a wide counter.
Raven walked straight up to the counter, her steps purposeful and sharp. Fuwa trailed behind her, casting a quick smile on the curious onlookers, hoping to soften the impact of Raven's stormy presence.
"We're here to register" Raven said bluntly, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the guild.
The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with dark circles under her eyes, looked up lazily "New adventurers, huh?" she said, eyeing Raven and Fuwa with disinterest "Names?"
"Raven" she said simply, her tone flat.
"Fuwa" the blue-haired girl added with a polite bow.
The receptionist scribbled their names down, barely glancing at them"You'll need to fill out these forms" She shoved a stack of papers toward them.
Fuwa began filling out her form diligently, but Raven just stared at hers, eyes narrowing. Her tail flicked behind her in irritation, the silence dragging on, she looked at Fuwa and sighed, and then she filled her papers too.
'I must be mad' She thought after handling them over 'Damn it all, I hate this place already'
She disliked those honest adventurers and their dreamy faces, nothing personal though, but she really hated that this town resembled the place of her nightmares, the rancid houses that denoted the poor state of their residents, the look on everybody's face, that air of 'importance' yet living in a shitty place.
The clerk nodded and stamped the document "Welcome to the guild. Try not to cause any trouble" Then handled them two collars with copper plates, as soon as each one took their own it was imbued and their names appeared on them.
Raven gave a sly grin "No promises" This was better than that disgusting blood magic used by the guild back in their own world.
As they turned to leave, Fuwa glanced at Raven, her earlier question still lingering in her mind "Hey, if you ever want to talk about..."
"I don't" Raven interrupted, her usual teasing tone back "Let's just get out of here"
The receptionist looked down at the document, magic at work was operating there, and soon on the adventurer registering book appeared two new names. Raven lvl 23... Fuwa lvl 25...
"Eeehh?" Asked the lazy receptionist, she took a zip to a glass of water "EEEEEEHHHH!?" She stood up and looked down at the documents, they had to be wrong... they had to be wrong! "Master!" Screamed the guild.
Raven and Fuwa were on their way to the outside and other adventurers had stood up because of the ruckus caused by the receptionist.
"Hey! You bastards! What did you do to Tina!" Many of them took out their weapons.
Soon Fuwa and Raven were surrounded by armed men, and outside the group had followed them stormed in.
"I knew we couldn't trust them!" Said the mustache man "Now you are surrounded by the militia and adventurers, let's see that cocky smile of yours again!" Said the man now all confident "What's the matter... HUH!?" Asked the guy now all brave and mighty.
Raven looked at him.
"Stoooop!" Screamed an old man covered in scars "You fools really want to die!" He came rushing and the receptionist behind him "Are you really courting dead!?"