Chapter 5: Relax

The two warriors walked through the grassy fields together, with the gentle cold wind breezes over them. While walking together, Linda slowly gets closer to Axel's shoulder, and she wraps her hands between his arm. Axel turns to look at her with a confused look and asks her,

"What's wrong, Linda, are you scared or something?" asked Axel.

"No, it's just cold out here. I'm shivering," said Linda, her whole body shaking in the cold wind.

Axel stops walking, and he takes off his orange gi, leaving only the black-grey shirt he usually wears underneath his orange gi. Axel helps Linda putting on the orange gi, and after a while later, Axel finished helping Linda putting on the orange gi; he said to her,

"There you go. Now you don't need to feel cold anymore. I know it's a little too big for your size, but you'll get used to it," said Axel.

"Thanks, and it's all right. Wow, It's pretty warm although, I have one question..." said Linda.

"I'm listening," said Axel, listening to her question.

"Are you usually feel a bit too hot wearing two clothes at the same time?" asked Linda.

"Not really, is there something wrong about it?" asked Axel.

"No, it's not that. It's because I can look at you and imagined how it felt; I'm sure it's scorching hot wearing two clothes together even on a hot day," said Linda.

"Well, I'm used to wearing clothes underneath my gi, it's just how I usually wear it. It can be a bit of a nuisance, but it has a bonus too. If my gi is 'damaged' from a battle, for example, I still have this black-grey shirt on me," said Axel.

"Hey, speaking of clothes, I use to do knitting for a hobby," said Linda.

Axel is intrigued when he hears this, and he asks Linda more about her hobby,

"Oh? Tell me more about it," said Axel, interested.

"You seem to be interested. Sure, I'll tell you more about my hobby," said Linda.

"I found this hobby of knitting when I was around the age of 10, which is where I started to find some interests. It all started when my teacher is in her room, making something. I walk over to her and ask what she is doing; she told me that she's knitting a handkerchief for herself; I asked her that I want to help."

"And surprisingly, she said yes. And I help her finishing her handkerchief; after we finished knitting her handkerchief, she told me that she wants to teach me how to knit. I gladly accept it, of course, and she teaches me how to do it." "I was still struggling at first, but after a while, I started to get the hang of it. I made my very first scarf to which I kept in my pocket," said Linda showing Axel the small scarf from her pocket.

Axel laugh a bit when he sees the small scarf Linda took out from her pocket,

"Haha, it looks so tiny; but I understand that you made this when you're a little kid," said Axel snickering a little.

"I know, it's embarrassing, but at least I made it," said Linda putting the small scarf back in her pocket.

She continues to tell him more about her knitting hobby,

"But knitting helps me to pass the time, it's pretty relaxing, and I like to hum while doing it too. Also, the clothes I'm wearing right now, I actually made myself. I made the design myself," said Linda.

"I see, and I have to say; that clothes look pretty cute on you," said Axel.

Linda hearing Axel complementing her outfit causes her to blush, and Axel just realized what he just said, and he's blushing with embarrassment; the two just stared at each other; saying nothing for a while, but Linda breaks the awkward silence,

"T-Thanks, Axel, that's real nice of you," said Linda, still blushing.

"O-Oh uh, sure n-no problem," sputtered Axel, still a bit embarrassed.

Another awkward silence ensues. Then, Linda felt a small nudge on her right leg, and she turns to look to see Snowball nudging her right leg with its little nose. Linda if flattered by the cuteness; she picked Snowball, up and she said to her little friend; in a childish voice,

"Aww, you can go with us too, Snowball, here just stay on my shoulder," said Linda, putting Snowball on her shoulder.

Axel gives her an awkward look, and as the two are standing up, they resumed their walk with the wind breezing through their hairs. Then while Axel isn't looking, Linda gave Snowball to him and tell him,

"Axel, I need to go for a while; I'll be back in a second, you stay here," said Linda.

After that, she runs back into the forest. Axel is confused at first as to why she went into the forest; he thinks that she's might've forgotten something, and she needs to go back to the campsite, so he said to Snowball,

"Well, look like it's just you and me, little buddy," said Axel.

Axel is waiting with Snowball in his hand, but after a while, she hasn't returned. Axel started to get worried for her; he suddenly feels that something is behind him; he quickly turns around and shouts,

"Who's there!" shouted Axel.

But silents are the only reply. Axel is now feeling even more worried, and he tries to find Linda; he searches around the forest; and didn't see her, then he heard something in the bushes behind him.

He walked closer, and the bushes move even more. He is now shaking with fear, then from the bushes, Linda jumps out in front of him, and Axel moves backward out of shock and surprise with a shocked expression on his face.

Linda is on the ground laughing; seeing Axel's shocked and scared expression, Axel is really embarrassed, and his face turns bright red out of embarrassment; he now knows how Linda feels when he pulls that prank on her a while back.

Axel chuckles nervously and said to her,

"Oh, ha..ha..ha, so this is what I get for scaring you, huh?" asked Axel, chuckling nervously.

Still; on the ground laughing, Linda said to him,

"Hahaha! You should really see your face, haha! My stomach hurts!" said Linda on the ground, laughing.

Axel keeps chuckling, and then he also started laughing. After the two finished laughing, Axel sees Linda looking down and smiling with her cheek glowing bright pink; Axel asked her,

"What's wrong? Do you catch a cold?" asked Axel while looking at her face.

She looks at him surprised, and she sputtered,

"N-no, it's nothing!" sputtered Linda hiding her face with embarrassment.

"Heh, heh, all right; let's go and resume our walk," said Axel, chuckling.

Axel stands up and reach his hand out toward Linda and said,

"Take my hand," said Axel reaching out his hand.

She blushed again and takes his hand, she stands up but not before putting Snowball back on to her shoulder, and both of them continued to walk together through the grassy field.

The two of them are enjoying their walk while viewing the setting sun. Axel is enjoying the view of the sunset; it reminds him of the good old times when he's still a young kid watching the sunset, together with his master, long ago. Linda is too reminded of the time where she and her teacher; like to watch the sunset together.

The two sighs as they sat down on the grass watching the sunset together, Axel while gazing at the sunset tells Linda,

"You know, walking together and watching the sunset together like this. It reminds me of the good times my master and I used to watch the sunset together after we finished our training," said Axel.

"Me too; I usually like to watch it together with my teacher when I was a little girl; those are good times," said Linda, chiming in, now with a calm voice.

"Well, my master usually said to me, 'Let your heart and soul flow like the wind'; so this is what he meant by viewing the sunset together, the gentle flow of the wind, and the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the grassy fields, it really does calm our minds."

"I'm sure glad to have a master like him," said Axel smiling, still gazing at the sunset.

Linda turns to look at him and compliments,

"He sounds like a pretty good master," said Linda.

"Indeed, he is," said Axel.

They continued to gaze upon the beautiful sunset and the majestic twilight sky. With the gentle blow of wind, the two are now in a calm state of mind, now able to relieve the dark thoughts clouding their mind. But, this relaxing and gentle walk for our two warriors is about to be turn upside down.