The Usual

For the first time in what felt like ages, they were out together, simply being idiots together. First of all, they went ahead and ordered some new clothes, made exactly as they wanted them to be. Simple but durable, perfect for a lot of situations and weather conditions. It did cost them a little bit more than Mark's hand wanted to let go of, yet he did convince himself it'd all be worth it in the end. 

"Well, this is one thing taken away from our list. Now, the next thing we should take care of is food for our 'little' walk, and I guess that's about all." 

Ras looked around, thinking about what else he might need. 

"I think I'll have a sword commission for me, something more durable." 

Mark nodded, checking for his claymore on his back. He always said he carried it around in case danger lurked around, yet he knew that deep down he simply enjoyed carrying a large sword around, something he thought made him a 'badass'. 

"Ok, a new weapon for you. I might go ahead and buy myself an extra-large backpack for now. I might simply grab some stuff as we go, so it's better to be prepared." 

He nodded towards Ras, motioning in a certain direction. 

"I guess we'll split here for now. I have a feeling you might want to go out looking for ores, so make sure to ask the blacksmith about spots where you can find said ores." 

Ras gave him a bit of a blank look, perhaps doubting his abilities at mining things, yet he stared down at his fists, realizing he could pretty easily shatter stone. 

"I got it. We'll see how it goes. I guess we'll meet again later, then?" 

"Sure." 

With that, Ras went his way, while Mark turned around, walking to a certain store where he saw some backpacks fit to his taste in carrying capabilities. 

A little operation that took him no more than ten minutes, and there he was, prepared with a bag large enough to fit enough provisions for a few action-packed days. His eyes lingered around once more, checking out everyone who happened to walk past him. He felt a bit odd considering his height, feeling like he stuck out a little too much, yet the vintage point gave him some leeway when it came to observing. 

Coming in through the gate, he caught sight of Aether and Paimon, both of whom seemed a little tired. They went straight to the Adventurer's Guild, talking with Katheryne. Feeling a little impish, Mark went ahead and snuck around the building's corner, waiting for them to pass. 

Right as they were about to reach him, he jumped out, going with a silly 'BOO!' which was enough to startle Aether—and spook Paimon into a near-frenzy. 

They took a moment to rebound, staring at Mark before it finally dawned on them: he had finally awoken. 

"Mark? You're finally awake." said Aether, a casual smile on his face as he glanced up at Mark, who simply chuckled. 

"Alive and well, that's right. Thanks for carrying me all the way from Wolvendom." 

Aether brushed it off, telling Mark to not mention it. 

"Well, I guess it's my treat. I also wanted to talk with you about something important, which I'm sure is important to you." 

Aether's face grew a little tense before he followed Mark. Paimon protested, feeling forgotten, yet the promise of whatever she wanted to eat was enough to soothe her feelings. 

They sat down, waiting for their sticky honey roasts to be ready and delivered to their table. In the meantime, they enjoyed some cold drinks, and Mark had but a single question related to how they kept items cooled. 

"So, Mark, I'm sorry to cut straight to the heart of the matter, but I have a feeling you know something about..." 

His reluctance to say it was obvious, and Mark could only blame it on his fear of false information. 

"Your sister, yes. I happen to know a few things, but I'm not sure whether you'll like what I have to say." 

Paimon floated closer, paying attention to each and every word that left Mark's mouth, while Aether looked at him with hopeful eyes. 

"Please, even if it's a single lead, I need to know where she is." 

Mark took one sip from his drink, letting the sweet taste linger in his mouth for a moment. 

"Well, here's the deal. I think you remember back when Kaeya mentioned something about a certain princess or something that's leading the Abyss Order. I guess you know where I'm going with this." 

Aether's face was one of sheer disbelief. Nothing about what he just heard sat right with him. 

"It can't be." 

Mark nearly pierced him with his gaze. He held firm. 

"There's nothing wrong with what I'm saying. The war that took place 500 years ago... she has her own reasons for her choices, things even I don't know. I can guarantee you'll meet her in the future, yet you should remember: she's changed a little." 

Their food finally came in, and Paimon couldn't help but start digging. With a chuckle at her expense, Mark began eating as well, tapping Aether on the shoulder. 

"Hey, I know that my words weigh a lot, but know that you can at least see her. In my case, I might never get to see my sister again." 

Aether's gaze met his, both of them understanding one another. 

"Do you have a sister as well, Mark? What do you mean by 'never get to see her'?" 

Mark smiled, a mere charade that he loved to play out again and again, practicing for his role in the play called life. 

"Yes, I do have a sister, yet she's far away now. I'm pretty sure that at this point it crossed your minds that we're from somewhere distant, a place further away than anything you can think of. Please keep this a secret, but both me and Ras are from another world as well." 

Both Aether and Paimon exchanged glances before smiling softly. 

"Paimon's mouth is sealed." 

Aether nodded as well. 

"I'll make sure to guard your secret as well. Also, thank you for telling me about my sister." 

"Gladly. Now, let's eat before we lose our appetite." 

They shared laughs and stories while they each talked about their exploits, partaking in the feeling of glory as they ate and drank. A few hours passed before they went about their way. Mark shot a glance at the sky, noticing that the sun was already going into hiding. 

"Did the day really pass me by like that?" 

He walked back to his temporary home, a place that he found it hard to depart from. This was one thing he saw as a flaw within himself: he got attached to so much more than people. Objects that he became used to made him hesitate to change them or throw them out. Somehow, he saw them as soldiers carrying out their missions, only to be discarded afterwards. 

He stepped into the lone hallway, heading for that one room he didn't feel like walking in ever since 'that' moment took place in there. He questioned his own reasoning, yet one thing was apparent to him: he did care about Jean, perhaps a little more than he would have liked. 

He knocked on the door, entering after a tired "Come in" grasped his ears. 

Jean glanced at him, betraying a moment of shock as she met his eyes. He took a seat across her, taking out a few ledgers and writing ustenils. 

"Ok, what's my work load for the day?" 

She gave him a look that didn't even hide her confusion, yet at his insistent stare, she handed him a stack of documents. 

"There's no need to waste your time in here; I'm sure you're aware." 

He nodded as he began jotting down some numbers, speeding up like his life depended on finishing his task. She looked at him, clearing her throat. 

"Really, you can go rest. There's no need to stick around." 

He nodded once more, absorbed by his task. He did hear her, yet his lack of reaction flustered her a bit. She simply went ahead and continued working. 

Mark felt like the air around him was thinning, his mind feeling light as he worked. Perhaps he should just follow her advice and give it up, yet he couldn't just disregard his word. He did say he'd land a hand whenever possible, so he wasn't about to just let it go. 

"We're adults after all. Heck, this thing should be a walk in the park." thought Mark, convincing not even himself with such a blatant lie. 

No words were shared even as the night settled in, until at one point Mark finished his stack of documents. Funnily enough, he saw Jean finish her work at the same time. 

"Glad to see I could lend a hand. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go out for a walk." 

He stumbled to his feet despite trying to be as quick as possible. Sometimes he forgot what sitting on a chair for a long time did to his legs. When he reached for the door, a gentle voice called out to him. 

"Can I... can I join you?" 

In a split second, his mind began working. 

"Shit... this can't be good..."