Cross Worlds

Side Chapter 4-1: "Upgrades" (Side- Reality)

With each passing day that goes by, I'm getting more and more nervous. Artemis actually looks to be struggling whenever we train these days, and I've been able to best some of her greatest students. But what she tells me today makes my heart drop. "You've gotten good enough to match me with your wrist blade technique Riku. At this rate, you may even surpass me. However, that will have to be done via your own training. There's one final step in your training; beating your fellow peers that are skilled in other weapons. After you do that, your training will be complete."

"Really?! That's awesome! I won't let you down sensei!" I grin and the proud smile she wears nearly makes my bright and happy facade shatter. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't be this close to being done with training! What happens if I never see Artemis again?!"

"If you win, I'll have a special reward ready and waiting. I believe in you, Riku. For now, you're dismissed." She then turns away and walks off.

Minutes later, I'm walking throughout Graycott, slouching somewhat as I walk around with a dejected feeling in my chest. "What do I do..? I could pretend to lose so I can keep seeing Artemis, but I can't imagine her disappointment if I were to continue to lose one round after the other..!"

Just picturing that joyful expression of hers slowly becoming more and more of a disappointed look has me trembling. "What a shame. I really believed you might've been a hidden talent, but perhaps I was wrong." Those imaginary words are like a blade being driven through my heart.

"NO! I can't let that happen! But on the other hand..." I hold my head in my hands and groan into them. "I don't want to part from her just yet..!"

"Rikuuuuu!" That voice belongs to none other than the reason I've grown so strong so fast; Bee. Part of me wants to blame her for the fact that my training will be completed so soon. She jumps and slams into my back, wrapping her arm around my neck and ruffling my hair.

"Ack! Stop that!" I grumble.

"What's got you so down in the dumps?! Think I can't tell when you're feeling down?" She leans over so we're face to face.

She's too close, much too close, so I quickly escape her grasp. "I'm fine Bee, geez!"

"No you're not." She crosses her arms and walks at my side. "I get it if you don't wanna talk about whatever's bugging you, but think about the kids before you walk over there with that look on your face." The kids she's talking about are Gina and Haruto of the Gilbinga family that I've grown so close too over the past couple of months. Not just them, but the entirety of the slums. However, I'm closer with that family than I've ever been with anyone else. It's almost as if they were my actual...

I let out a deep sigh. "You're right. It's just...my training with Artemis is almost complete. It just won't feel right not getting to see her after..."

Bee tilts her head. "And why wouldn't you be able to see her?"

"Huh? Well, without our training, I have no real reason to see her, and vice versa." Bee tilts her head even more, giving me a great look of confusion. "What?" Now I'm tilting my head.

"Who in the hell said you need a reason to see somebody you wanna go see? You see the Gilbinga family all the freakin time for no reason at all, and you help the slums out for no reason at all. You do those things because it's what you wanna do, so if you wanna see Artemis, just go see her!" Bee states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"She's got students to teach! I can't just go see her whenever I want, idiot!" I shake my head.

"Then tell her you want to see her! If you were to tell her that, I'm one hundred percent positive she'd make time for you."

"I don't think you understand how difficult that would be for me..." I mumble nervously.

"Well then fine, I'll go tell her." She turns to fly off, but I quickly grab onto her.

"No no no no no! Don't you dare!" I keep a strong grip so she can't fly away.

She turns in my arms and presses her forehead against mine. "Then you tell her. I don't wanna see my friend being all mopey over something so stupid."

My eyes widen from the passionate look she has in her eyes. "Bee..."

"As a matter of fact..." She grabs my hand and starts pulling me along. "We're gonna go on a quest together! If I do better than you, then you have to tell Artemis."

"W-What?! That's not fair! You have magic!" I shout in retort.

"Oh calm down, I'll empower you too so it's fair play. You are not getting out of this." And that's how I ended up in a competition with Bee on our next quest together.

I'm in an even worse mood than before. Bee fought better than I had ever seen her fight before today. She beat me with hardly any trouble at all with everything that's on my mind. "When did she get so good at fighting?!" She's been gloating the whole way home, but that's not what has me in such a state. The fact that I have to tell Artemis I want to keep seeing her after my training is complete...it's basically the same as confessing that I'm interested in her! It's going to be extremely mortifying enough as it is, but if she says no for some reason, I think I might just become suicidal again.

"Hey, enough with the moppiness!" Bee punches the back of my head.

"Ack- ow! What the heck?!" I whine as I hold the back of my head.

"We're going to see everyone in the slums and treat them with our reward money, so quit being like that already! You lost fair and square." She huffs.

"For all I know you cheated! You probably didn't even give me 50 percent of your power did you..?" I eye her suspiciously.

She looks back at me with a light glare and growls. "You know I always take each and every competition seriously and I fight fair and square! Don't be jelly just because you lost!" I have to admit, she has grown quite a bit stronger. Not only does she no longer have to hold onto me to keep herself from going limp after giving me energy, but she can pick how much energy she gives as well as fight just fine with the energy she leaves for herself.

I sigh in defeat, having no retort to her statement. She suddenly grins at me playfully. "If you don't perk up, I might just have to give you a kiss to cheer you up." She leans closer and I quickly move away.

"Alright alright! I'll stop moping!" The only reason I'm more disgusted rather than flustered is because Bee is currently covered in monster mucus.

"Awwww, what's wrong? You don't want some hugs and kisses to make you feel better?~" She coos, walking towards me with her arms open. "Come on, I'll make you feel better!"

"No! Stay away! I'm perfectly fine!" I quickly break into a sprint, Bee running after me of course.

"Come back! I just wanna give my best buddy a big hug and a kiss!" She laughs evilly as she chases me.

"Nooooooo!" I scream in terror all the way back to Graycott.