Chapter 2: Desert Sun Is Best Mediator
We were both standing. A fair amount of space between us. Both of us dirtied by sand, and panting from exhaustion and the heat.
There's a sex joke in here somewhere, but I can't think of one.
Then again, it could be my annoyance at the brat, that tried to take a bite out of me.
Now, what to say in this situation? I suppose, I should just reiterate the obvious.
"You insane, rapid-"
"Give me back my wand, commoner!" She shouted.
I looked at her in disbelieve. Does she seriously expect me to do that?
"Hmm, let me think. 'Give back the weapon, you almost blew me into chucks of gore with'? Ah, no." Maybe she understand sarcasm.
"Give. Me. Back. My. Wand!" She replied with clenched teeth.
Oh wait, I forgot who I was talking to.
"Oh, in that case. Nooooo." Am I being childish?
"Why you..." She began to march toward me.
"Woman, I will punch you." I said. My tone beginning to show my ire.
She halted, her eyes examining me.
"You wouldn't." She said, as she began to move toward me.
Usually, she's right. I wouldn't, I really wouldn't, but at the moment, I was angry enough to have the motivation.
But my damn conscience had to interrupt. Am I really going to hit a little girl?
Her being actually sixteen or seventeen wasn't the issue.
"I will break it." I held the wand from both ends, and put the tiniest pressure on it, to show I was serious.
That got her to stop.
I waited for a bit to see if she'll do anything. Upon see that she was now just tensely standing in place, I continued.
"Good." I hope I did not sound too condescending saying that. "Now, we can either talk like civilized people, or I break this, really punch your lights out, walk away and leave you here for the snakes and scorpions to keep you company."
"Right. The savage wants to civil. There's a joke in there somewhere." She replied bitterly.
"Hey! I'm not the psychopath who likes to blow people up." Not true. Well no, it is true if the anime is anything to go by, but I hope he conscience would scream at her at the thought of killing.
"It's called defending myself." She shouted.
"From what!? I was unarmed, and wasn't in any way hostile to you." Actually, that is a great point. How in the hell did I look hostile?
"Other than kidnapping me." She cried out. I really should learn that logic doesn't work on Louise.
"For the last bloody time. I did not kidnap you!" I cried out.
"Oh, then I suppose attacking me was you accidentally stumping toward me."
"You're the one who first-" I stopped myself. Taking a deep breath without looking away from her. "This going in circles." I muttered.
"Look." I say feeling enervated and frustrated. "If you could use that thing in your skull called a brain, you would realize that I am not a kidnapper. I'm in the same situation as you are. Someone took me from my home and throw me here."
This time, she doesn't throw a comeback. Hopefully thinking on what I said. I noticed that she is no longer panting, but looked tired and drenched with sweat. Seeing the state she is in, made me self-conscious of my own condition. I was also tired. My forehead was felt like it was on fire, and my shirt was clinging to my chest. God, I needed a shower. And some clean cloth. And a glass of water.
Actually forget everything, I wanted to stand under a waterfall.
"Fine." I focused on her again, as she finally spoke. Wait, did I my mind just wonder off, in the middle of a standoff? Okay, no more messing up. Stay focused. "If you really are a innocent, and mean me no harm, return my wand."
I blinked at her request. Does she actually think, I'll-No, wait. Things are calming down. Bit by bit, I should try to find a way to reach a good solution for both of us. Besides, if we do meet something that would want to kill us, she's the one who would be able to blow it up.
"And how would I know, I moment I give it back, you won't simply turn it on me?" I say slowly. My dry throat making it difficult to form the words fluently.
"I give you my word as a Noble." She replied, trying to stand a bit straight, while raising her head in a regal manner. It wasn't really working. Not that I can blame her.
"Sorry, can't say that that holds much weight given the current situation." I answer back, before really thinking about it. Damn, that wasn't all diplomatic. No, wait, diplomacy isn't the right word. Or is it?
Fuck. I need water and shade, else I'm not gonna be able to stand on my feet for too long.
"How dare you belittle the word of a Noble?" I think, I'm not the only one feeling the heat. Her words didn't have as much bite as before.
"You first act as a 'Noble' was hostility, so no. It doesn't have much weight." I make a quick scan of the area for my jacket. I needed something to cover my head. Thankfully it was close by, just near my chair.
Keeping my eyes at Louise, I began to move toward it.
"Well, you weren't helpful, and were acting too suspicious. In fact, how don't I know this is all an elaborate act to get my guard down?" She said tensely, as she watched me move to my chair.
"It isn't." Gathering moister in my throat felt like a chore. Talking was a struggle. "You know why? Because right now, this heat has gotten so bad, that I think I might faint. Pretty sure you're in the same situation. Meaning, if I was the evil bad guy that kidnapped you, I would have to be a seriously dumb retarded one, and won't even be smart enough to make this argument." I moistened my dry tongue and continued.
"At the moment, both of us are in risk of dehydration, and getting sunburned. Not to mention, us sitting here, arguing and not moving, as we waste time and energy, which need I remind you we are rapidly losing, means we lose more of our chance of finding, well, civilization." I think that was a good point. Hopefully, she would be as tired as I am argue. I finally reach my chair where my shirt is, but I don't bend down to pick it up.
"Then you should have no problem giving back my wand. If we have establish that you are also a victim here, then you have no reason to hold on to it." She says, having moved to place her chair as more addition place between us.
My god, why is she so obsessed on her bloody wand? Wait, wait, security, and some control over her situation. Right. Come on, brain, don't fail me now.
"How about a deal then?" I tell her.
"Deal?" Thankfully, she doesn't sound too opposed to the idea. Or maybe it's the sunstroke finally getting to her?
"Yes, something just to make sure that we don't screw each other over. I give you, your wand back in an hour, if you cooperate with me, in getting the both of us out of here. Alive." Come on, don't be stubborn now.
She was now leaning on the armrest of the chair. Probably feeling too tired to stand on her own.
"And how can I be sure that-WOAH!" She exclaimed in surprise.
Apparently the la-z-boy was a revolving chair. When she placed too much of her weight on it, it began to rotate.
"Ow, ow, ow." As she went to stand up, she grasped the headrest of the chair, which had an unexpected side effect. "Ow, DA-I mean, curses."
The headrest of the chair came off, revealing an empty side inside it.
"Oookay. Universe uses comedy to bring unexpected results." I muttered. Now, what to do? Either I could use this chance to get the jacket for some shade, or go check the mystery of the la-z-boy. Well, the sun was winning in either case. I went for my jacket.
While Louise was trying to stand up for the second time, I quickly laid down the wand on my chair, brought my jacket and covered my head with it, while using the sleeves to wrap it.
Now if only I could find cold water to soak the jacket in it.
Just as I finished wrapping the jacket around my head, Louise had stood up, said some curses under her breath (couldn't really hear them though), and went to look inside the chair.
"AHA!" Whatever it is she fought, I did not like that laugh of evil triumph it brought to her.
Maybe I should have went for the chair.
She dug her hands into the empty space within the backrest of the chair, and came up with two large leather pouches, that I instantly realized where water bottles. Well, medieval water bottles.
I really should have went for the chair. Seriously, this is like the most contrived bullshit series of event to ever happen. Hell, why did her chair have the two water pouches. While it did make sense for them to be there, since ROB won't want us to die too early. It would be too boring. Why the hell is he making this situation more difficult for us to work together in. It's like he is trying to set the events for me to grove on Louise's feet.
Oh wait...You know what. Fuck you, ROB.
"You can tell what these are, correct? Well, looks like that tables have turned, huh?" She grinned smugly. She quickly placed one of the pouches straps on her shoulder. She kept her eyes on me, as she place the strap for the other pouch on her other shoulder.
I didn't move to stop her. Mostly, to conserve energy, and to formulate my arguments.
Okay, time to take that smug look, off her face.
While I will still not sink so low as to attack a girl for water, because honestly morality is probably the last thing I have right now, and I don't want to give that up. It might be some stupid sense of pride or macho bullshit, but I am not letting this girl dictate how things go, however I sure as hell won't use violence to overpower her to get what I need.
I might regret this later on, but if it comes down to that, I'll play the weak and defenseless card, and force her to take pity on me and give me that water. But I will not ask or beg for it.
Later on, when I think back to this moment, I will realize that my logic was a little bit insane and a lot stupid.
"Well, I guess the deal is now on. You have a barging chip, and I still have your wand. One hour and I return your wand, in turn however I would like on for those water pouches." I said with a smile.
She looked stunned for a moment, probably expecting me to be more inclined to listen to her. She quickly recovered from it though, seeing as she was the one with the advantage. She had the water, and in the desert that makes her king. Or well, queen in this case.
"Really? And why should I give you anything, now that I have the resources." She held one of the pouches, before carefully opening it.
"True, but how about we take a moment to see who needs who more. First there is you. You have the water, and incase a dangerous creature comes up, you're the only one who can use this" I showed off the magic foci. "To deal with it." I began counting the points in her favor first. She drank a lungful from her pouch. Yes, hers, because the other one is obviously mine.
"Then there is me. One, I have said wand, so right now, you are about half useless." She lost her grin. Oooh, that had to sting. "Two, I can actually care equipment, which obviously you will do for now, since you will want to hold on to all of it." And get tired faster, thus wanting complete the deal quicker. I doubt a spoiled girl would want to do any work, if she can avoid it. "Three, I actually can ensure that we get out of here alive, since I really doubt you have enough survival skills."
"Oh yeah?" She said, huffing as she finished her drink. She looked like she tilting the pouch to careful gather some of the water in her palm.
"Yes, because for one thing, in the desert, water is more precious than gold. And you're wasting it. If you want it to last, drink small sips, only every once in a while, so as to conserve it. Also please don't use it for something trivial, like washing your face. Yes, in this place it is trivial."
That stopped her. "It's not trivial!" She said hotly, having now regained her ability to shout. "Do you expect a Noble to stand before their lesser in dirt?"
I spread one of my arms to show case our 'audience'. "I reiterate. We are in a desert. No one cares." I lower my arm. Wow, does my skin on it look dry. "So, seeing as how we establish, that we both need to work together to get out of this, do we have a deal?"
"Really, the way I see it, you need me more than I need you. Why should I agree to your proposal, when I could just start walking on my own?" She replied, looking calmer and confident in her stance now.
"Easy." I answered back. "Even with all the water in the world, it will mean nothing, if you meet a monster in this place, without your wand."
"Well, I could just as easily wait for you to fall from the heat and take it back."
I smiled bitterly at her. "Let me tell you something. I am a vindictive asshole, and if I come close to dying, I will use the last of my strength to break this wand in half." She stiffened. That got to her.
She tighten her lips. Chewed lightly on the inside of her cheek as she thought on all of this, some more. Looks like the situation was more difficult than she thought. I guess, she didn't expect me to be, well, suicidally stubborn. Admittedly.
Well, there was one last trump card for me to play. Her morality. In the show, Louise, when she first used her first Void Spell on the Albion flag ship, she did not incinerate the passengers. She merely damaged the ship enough for it to fall. As many theories would attest, this is due to her subconscious want to not kill anybody.
"You know." I began talking once again, taking her out of her thoughts. "I heard that those of aristocracy tended to be cold, but I never expected a girl so young to be completely fine with murderer."
"I am not young. I'm seventeen years old." She shouted. "What do you mean by murderer?"
"Seventeen is young. And by murderer, well, if you leave me to die, doesn't that make you a killer. Just because you didn't actively commit the act, doesn't absolve you of the responsibility and guilt, because even while sitting there and doing nothing, you still chose to let someone in front of you die." I tell her with a small smile, easily able to see that now I got under her skin.
Louise gave a small flinch at my statement. After all, I might be able to endure the heat and thirst for a while, but eventually though...well hopefully it won't actually come to that.
"You just..." She was visibly struggling to find the words to say. "why are you being this stubborn?" She said intensely.
I think from her viewpoint, I'm being illogical, and honestly, I think she is right. But I know from all the media I either read or watched, that simple agreeing to her demands will just put me in a position of servitude for a very long time.
And that is something I would die than be trapped in. After all, isn't that what happened to all the other protagonists in other Familiar of Zero fanfictions?
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knee. I believe that was the saying, right?
"Because just like you, I don't like being told what to do." I'm pretty sure there was a better statement that I could have used, but I can't think of any for now.
She was quiet. Her expression was stern, but her eyes showed her struggle. She look at her water pouch, probably feeling thirsty once again, and then back at me. She bit her lower lip, before finally coming to a decision.
"You..." She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Fine, how about a new deal?"
I made sure not to smile too obviously.
Holy crap that's a lot of discussion from one scene.
