12 - Wrath of the 'Toot Fruit'

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The sun had reached its peak, and the pair had said hardly a word to each other, only stopping at a nearby creek to collect water, communicating with nods, a smirk from Emil, and a groan as Kaitlyn responded to him casually waving his canteen. She produced her own canteen and filled it, giving Emil a sideways glance in the process. He simply shrugged and carried about his business.

Some time after filling their water supply, Emil's stomach began to rumble ominously. He slowed his pace, turning toward Kaitlyn. "I thought you cooked these."

Kaitlyn smirked, "I cooked 'most' of them. Specifically, the 'most' that I got. You did get some cooked ones, though."

"...So I got mostly raw prudyas?"

"Yes."

Emil simply shrugged, "Alright. Let's keep going. We'll want to make it to the next town by nightfall." There was a shrug, and Emil strode ahead. Kaitlyn would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed by the reaction. She failed to see Emil's smirk.

Some minutes later, she stopped in her tracks, eyes watering. "Gods! What is that smell?! It's like death rotting crops had an unholy lovechild!" She began retching over a nearby bush. After a moment or 2, she recovered and they carried on, with Emil still in the lead. The smell hit again, and Kaitlyn found her eyes watering. She stopped by another bush.

Emil came to check on her, "You alright, Miss Kaitlyn?" There was a slight edge to his voice, the kind that you have when grinning. Then the smell hit her again, stronger.

Kaitlyn clenched her knees as she bent over, trying to hold her breath and not gag. She eventually got around to activating her Saint's power, enveloping herself in a small layer of flame, before managing to breath the now thinned air. She turned to Emil, whose eyes were glowing in response. The realization hit her. "IT WAS YOU!!! I thought you said you didn't want to kill me!?"

"Better out than in. It was you who gave me uncooked 'toot fruits', as you called them."

She once again practiced the 'murder via stare' technique, to no avail, as she had no response. This was her fault, and she was currently suffering the consequences. "I don't want to kill anyone, but if you do that again, so help me, I'll pick one of the seven hells and send you there myself!"

"You're the one who didn't cook them."

"And as long as I live and can help it, I'll make sure that never happens again so long as I know you're the one to eat them."

"Did you just agree to cook for me for the rest of your life?"

Emil watched with a grin as Kaitlyn's face began to change color, not bothering to speak, letting her embarrassment simmer.

They continued to walk for a while as the sun set. Their journey was slower as they were avoiding the beaten path, and an accumulation of cuts and scrapes dotted their faces and exposed limbs. They finally stepped back onto the road and rounded a bend. The city came into view just as the sun began to set and the guarded city gates came into view.

They pair glanced at each other. Kaitlyn spoke first. "We're going to be able to get in... right?"

Emil shrugged, "I won't have a problem."

"...and what of me?!"

Emil just continued toward the gate as Kaitlyn ran to catch up. She glanced up at the wooden plank sign that read Stormbrook and finally caught up to Emil, just as he reached the guards.

"You there, halt, and lower your hoods."

Emil complied, lowering his hood. Kaitlyn stopped behind him, paused, and lowered hers, keeping her eyes shut.

The guard continued, "Names, from where you hail, and entry fees."

Emil responded, "My name's Randall, the lady behind me is Karina, and we're from Meadow Run. Here's our fees." He reached out his hand and presented the guard with 2 copper coins. "Now, if you'll excuse us..."

"Hold it right there, miss." The guard stopped, attempting to put himself between Kaitlyn and Emil. "Let's have a look at ya. We need to make sure you're not on any wanted posters. Open those eyes of yours."

Kaitlyn sighed and Emil grimaced as Kaitlyn opened her eyes. Her golden irises were in full view of the guards.

One of the guards' eyes opened wide in realization, "Mind coming with us for some questions, ma'am?" It was clearly not a request.

"...under what grounds?" she questioned.

"You match the description of somone involved in an incident last night."

Emil let loose a sigh, "Where'd this incident happen?"

One of the guards paused for brief moment. It was subtle, but Emil noticed, "Market street."

A safe answer, one that seemed probably to anyone just passing though or having just met, but also a lie. The problem was that they couldn't openly oppose the guards. Even so, Emil responded as the guards approached Kaitlyn. "I wouldn't do that I were you."

They puased and looked at him, "You mean to impede a guard from their sworn duty?"

Kaitlyn was slowly backing away, the wind shifting as if nudging her to do so. Emil shrugged, "Actually, i'm trying to do you a favor, and this woman is under my care."

"So you do intend to stop us?" One of the guards turned to him and drew his weapon.

"Truth be told, i'm trying to protect you from her."

"HA! You expect us to believe such a threat?"

"Honestly, no. I'd much rather go relieve myself, but I can't rest easy if my companion is taken."

"Then what do you intend to do?" The guard taunted, knowing that any attack would instantly justify whatever actions they took.

Emil felt the caress of wind on his shoulder, as if it was hinting at an action. It felt foreign, yet familiar, like the power that the goddesses blessed him with.

His cloak billowed in the wind, blowing in direction of the guards. His left eye lit involuntarily, and he could feel traces of Seriah's power flowing through him, and an ungodly rumbling of his stomach. He sighed inwardly in understanding and raised his cloak to catch the wind

Emil looked at Kaitlyn with a smirk as his eye flashed. The unnatural gust contindued to blow, bushing the tops of the grass and trees in the area. Kaitlyn's cloak was brushed behind her. Emil adjusted his posision ever so slightly and muttered, "I really don't want to do this..."

The guard began to approach Emil, expecting anything other that what he got. The air vibrated with an unholy rumble, emanating from Emil's rear end. Everyone within earshot, which was fortunately only the guards, Kaitlyn, and some now confused birds, stopped and stared in a slack jawed stupor.

Kaitlyn was the first to react, calling upon her divine power and shrouding herself in flame. The guard that was approaching her drew his weapon, and the wind blew just a little stronger. That's when the smell reached the first guard. He started caughing violently. He gagged, retched, and bent over with tears in his eyes. The other guard turned, concerned of an attack. All he saw was Emil, standing still, unarmed, and his partner apparently choking on air.

Before he could ask, the smell reached him, too. He didn't fare as well as his partner and lost the contents of his stomach.

Emil turned toward the village, left eye aglow. "Let's get going, though I'll probably need some new clothes."

Still wreathed in flames, Kaitlyn glanced at Emil, then to the guards, and back to Emil. The wind had gone stagnant, letting the scent linger on the guards, and the part left them suffering where they stood, entering the city and heading for the closest shop they could find.