- Heaven's Last Breath -

The Blind Bandit's Bar

"Oh, let's go here Aaron! They have some kimonos here!"

A soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I felt myself being tugged by the arm, Jade pulling me into another store. I shook my head, waking myself up as I stepped through the shopfront.

My eyes adjusted to the store's interior and just as Jade said, there were kimonos and other culturally similar clothes of all sorts. I looked around, noting the quaint decor of the store before looking for somewhere to sit down.

As the noirette took to the shop floor, I found a cushioned seat in the corner of the store, letting out a sigh of relief as I collapsed onto it. I caught my breath, thinking through what had happened today.

Since leaving the park earlier, the four of us had agreed to spend the rest of the day getting anything we might need for the journey. That's what I told myself before, even though I knew we would all end up shopping like careless rich people.

Jade wanted to continue the day from earlier, with just the two of us and of course, I didn't object. I thought about the other two, knowing that Ariel would be more than enough for Death to handle for the day. Naturally, I bought clothes and other things that I needed, knowing that Death and I didn't spend too frivolously.

To my surprise, Jade wasn't too big of a spender either. Yet here we were, in the thousandth store of the day and I felt like I was already holding onto more bags than I needed to. Then my thoughts went a little further, remembering that there was a fourth member of the crew who I could guarantee was making the most of her money right now.

With all the money she had, Ariel was like a kid in a candy store and the thought of Death trying to keep her under control really kept me going throughout the day.

"Hey Aaron, which colour do you think looks better?"

For the eightieth time that day I was being asked that same question. I half glanced up, not paying too much attention but as I looked up, both kimonos caught my eye.

In her left hand, Jade was holding a sunset orange dress, the gradient darkening below the waist. Through the back, I could see an image of a white sun, the kimono looking appealing to say the least, matching the theme of her sheathed blade.

Then I looked to her right, seeing that the kimono Jade was holding was coloured a forest green. The deep green shade complimented her dazzling emerald eyes, the dress decorated with black outlines of flowers.

"Get both, you'll look good in anything." With a small smile on my face, I stood up from the cushioned seat, making my way over to the cashier. "It's nearly time, we should get going."

Jade joined me at the counter, counting out the right amount of gold coins needed to pay for the two kimonos. After the blonde haired cashier packaged the kimonos, she thanked us for shopping at her store as the two of us made our way back to the streets of the commercial district.

As we stepped out of the storefront, the night sky had finally settled over Stonehaven. The sun had descended past the horizon, the distant stars illuminating the city. In the sky, the white moon glowed vibrantly, now approaching the third quarter of the lunar cycle.

"Have you been to the mercenary district before?"

I looked over to my right, seeing Jade walking beside me. Thankfully, she offered to take her fair share of bags as the two of us walked the moonlight streets of Stonehaven.

"A couple times, just to see what the area was like."

"And? What did you find?"

For a moment I paused, thinking back to the few times I had been to the city's mercenary district. In a near perfect city, there had to be a darkside, and for Stonehaven, that was exactly our destination.