AFK - Away From Keyboard

Chapter 5:

Ren's POV:

I'm not a hero, but I vowed when I entered this world to stop people from hurting innocents.  It makes me feel good about myself I guess. At least...I feel heroic at times...

I still don't understand why Yue had gotten so worked up over keeping me from dying. I hadn't ever seen anyone get that freaked out about death here. I figured maybe I should return the favor, so when I saw her get almost kidnapped it seemed logical to follow the thugs. Evidently Yue was resourceful enough to get away, even to beat me. To be fair, I hadn't expected her to hold a knife to my throat.

I also hadn't expected her to get MAD about it. According to her words, I ditched the alley after she stormed off and climbed on top of the building. I have a quick temper, one that prevents me from forgiving a person until I get back at them, and right then I was pretty angry.

Not five minutes later I heard Yue shouting for me. At first I tried to ignore her, but her frightened, pleading tone got the better of me.

Now I stood like a fool. Extremely confused at to why Yue was freaking out again.

"What scared you into coming back?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know." Yue mumbled into my cloak. She hadn't relaxed her grip at all.

"You don't...know..." I repeated.

"Everything got scary." Her voice trembled. "I can't go to the inn by myself."

"Do you want me to go with you?" I asked gently, to which Yue nodded and allowed me to pull back.

We walked through the streets. Probably looking somewhat sketchy with our hoods pulled up and our arms hooked, like we were planning something. Yue was still trembling and her hand clutched mine as if it was the only thing left to hold on to.

   We had been walking for fifteen minutes when Yue started turning bright red. She pulled her hand away quickly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I...I don't know why I did that." She said dazedly.

"Did what?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you in an awkward position. I'm...I'm able to walk to the inn alone now." Yue looked away and started nervously tugging on a strand of her hair.

"Well I think I might as well walk their since it's only another five minutes away." I raised an eyebrow. Why are girls so complicated? One minute they're screaming at you, the next their screaming FOR you; and through the whole shindig you don't know the reason.

"No it's...it's okay. I don't know why I was scared in the first place." Yue trued to laugh. She looked beyond freaked out.

I stopped short and stared at her. "Okay. What the HECK is going on?"

Yue dropped her gaze to her boots. "N...nothing." Her very tone said that she was lying.

"I may not deserve an explanation, but you owe me one for being weird."

"Well I don't know how to explain it." Yue turned and started to walk away quickly. I had to jog to catch up with her.

"Try."

"I...Kit says he thinks I can't control my emotions and that I'm extremely sensitive..."

"Who's Kit?"

"...but lately I don't even think the emotions I feel are mine." Yue looked to the side. "Someone could slap me and I might start laughing. Once a merchant gave me a present, and even though I wanted it, something made me throw it and snap at him."

"Oookaaay?" I was definitely confused.

"I don't expect you to believe me. It's pretty farfetched."

"No I believe you." I said quickly. "Maybe you're feeling someone else's emotions? I read a book about that. Of course it was fiction..."

"The only time the emotions don't take over is at night. Whenever I try to think about someone else controlling my emotions, a little voice tells me to forget it." She laughed cynically. "I probably sound crazy."

Rey is way better at making people feel better than I am. I mean, what do you even SAY to that?

"Hey Yue?"

"Mm?"

"Can I join your party?"

"I don't...what?" Yue cocked her head confusedly.

"Your group. Guild. Uh...club, or friend list I guess. Can I join?"

"I um...I guess so?" Yue stammered. I opened my menu and invited her to join my party. She tapped accept when the message popped up on her end.

"What do party members do?" Yue asked as we rounded a corner.

"Watch each other's backs, travel, fight monsters, and stuff like that."

"Oh, okay." Yue seemed satisfied. "I think this is the inn."

I held the door open and we walked inside. A girl flung herself at Yue and squeezed her in a hug. "YUE! I was starting to think you were ditching me!"

"Of course not! I would never do that!" Yue laughed.

"Who's the shady guy?" The girl whispered.

"Myra, this is Ren. Ren, meet Myra." Yue introduced us cheerily.

I saluted the girl with two fingers. Myra smiled back with a pained expression. "So what are you doing here?"

"Looking for a place to sleep for the night. This is a public inn, right?" I teased.

Myra rolled her eyes. "Okay, so much for friendly conversation."

"Um, dinner on me?" Yue suggested.

"Nah. I'll pay. After all I probably have the most gold."

"Says you." Myra snapped. "I bet Yue is better off. YOU look like a smuggler."

I shrugged and led the way to a table where we all sat down. The innkeeper brought our meals, which I paid for.

"Have you gotten a room yet?" Yue asked Myra.

"I was able to snatch up the last one." Myra declared proudly. "It has two beds, a couch, and a small workspace."

"Do you have any place to stay tonight?" Yue inquired, turning to me.

"Uh..."

"You can have one of the beds. I'll sleep on the couch." Yue smiled.

"No way am I letting you do that." I rolled my eyes.

Yue stood up and left the room. Was she having a weird emotional thing? Now that I think of it...she could have been freaking out over me dying because of her emotion thing.

Myra began looking me over critically. After a while she finally stopped staring me down.

"Do I pass inspection?" I smirked.

"No." Myra replied and stood up. But Yue will wonder where you are if I lock you out of the room., so finish eating and I'll bring you up."

We ate quickly and with little to no conversation. I wondered if Yue was going to come back, but she never did.

   After dinner I followed Myra up a flight of stairs and to the fifth door down. She opened the door and turned on a light.

"You have GOT to be kidding me." I groaned and ran my hand through my hair.

Yue was in the room, sleeping on the couch.