To Lose What You Found

Chapter 4

-Lux-

"We've finally made it! Yes," I say nearly out of breath, as we stand on the pathway leading to the pub. Ace is heavy.

I had a way of getting him here without Ash's (because I wasn't going to have his help) but I wasn't going to reveal that. I don't need someone like him to know about all my crimes.

"Hey, we still need to make it to the door!" Ace says with a chuckle. I exchange a look with Ash, and together we drop him. I allow myself a seat as I watch Ace try to move.

"Ah, fuck you. Come on, help me!" He yells, setting his chin on the ground. We watch him squirm around, muttering things under his breath, ''Please just help me, would you!''

I take a deep breath before saying, "Ohp, sorry, I hafta take a look first," pointing to the pub. Ash makes a face and I respond with a bored shrug, but when I turn around, I try not to laugh.

Normally I wouldn't leave what's mine with someone I don't trust, but I need a break from Ace. If I was doing this alone, he'd probably be on two different drugs at the same time.

Drugs? Poisons? In the Royal City they call them all poisons, but in the districts we found it more efficient to differentiate them.

There are multiple different districts and we all have our own way of surviving. Oh and we shouldn't forget about the RS. It used to be called the capital but the royals thought it'd be more appropriate if royal was in the name. The reason it's an s instead of a c is because it's easier said.

RS citizens have a much different way of living. They see us as animals and we see them as aliens.

Opening the pub door sends me back to reality, as the smell of liquor burns my nose. Quite a few of the people who are sitting alone have turned their focus on me. Most of the people filling the pub are drunk, so they shouldn't remember this. There are three reasons why I choose this pub and that is one. Number two is that almost everyone here covers their face, it's a thing of causality. Number three is, the owner is my grandfather.

I walk up to the front, ignoring all the eyes on me and take a seat on a bar-stool. I wait and watch my Grandfather serve drinks. He's owned this place for a long time, he loves it. He used to only come here for six months then go back home, but ever since my Grandmother passed away he's stayed full time.

I clear my throat, bringing attention to myself. He turns to me saying, "What can I get for ya?"

"Rooms, one double please." He recognizes my voice, but he knows he can't let people know about his nonexistent granddaughter, even if they're drunk.

"D-do you have an i-identification?" He looks at me wearily, but nods in reassurance, "Yep, you can check it after I bring my friend in. Do save that room for me, it might take a while." He nods as I stand. I already told how I'd react if I found Ace, except he doesn't know about Ash.

I don't have a real identification, how could I possibly? You get one when you turn eleven and I wasn't supposed to live till that age.

"I'm coming!" I tell Ash as I run to them, "The Publican needs our identification."

"Well, how the hell is that going to work?" Ace asks, watching his fingers slowly move. It's funny to watch, it reminds me of what babies do when they're understanding themselves.

"I've gotten it taken care of, you just have to play that part as-"

"I know. Knocked the fuck out."

"Ye-no... whatever. Ash you either can't talk or find a way to hide your accent, everyone knows it's RS" I say, help Ace up. Ash turns to me while saying, "Good thing, I studied," in an accent similar to mine. He smiles at me, making me roll my eyes and add, "Cover your hair, it's also RS."

Citizens in the districts don't have weird or unnatural hair or eye colors (Unless they're monsters), of course he looks RS. He's 22 with hair the color of ashes.

"Okay let's go," I say, half-carrying half-dragging Ace to the door. When we make it, Ace starts laughing hysterically, making me wonder if he's trying to play the part or if he's genuinely laughing at the fact that we're actually doing this. I push the door open, everyone turning to us. Great. I wish that was a pull door I could hit Ace in the face with.

Ace falls quiet as he notices all the eyes on us and tries to wave, but the drug keeps him from doing it properly. He looks down at his hand, as if trying to mentally ask it why it won't work. He then starts mumbling to himself. To the others, he looks crazy, but from right here he looks annoying. What he's mumbling isn't nonsense, it's complaints about Ash and me.

The drug's making the whole cover up look more real, because even Ace is dragging himself. As we drag him he continues to giggle, try to wave, and shout out at people. When we make it to the bar-stools, he struggles to get on one.

"Identification please," my grandfather says to Ash as he pulls out a card. Ash removes his face mask as he puts his arm out. The watches are our identification, storage, weapon use, and so on. Mine was given to me by my oldest brother, who works as a guard. It's a fine pass for regular things, but when it comes down to having to see what my status is, it's worthless.

Currently, Ace's watch isn't able to be used to do anything concerning purchases. All of his points are frozen. The royal can't take away the money, but they don't have to give it to him either.

My grandfather looks surprised at who Ash is, he opens his mouth to speak but Ash says, "Please, don't make it obvious. If it's bothersome I can pay extra," in a whisper, before he can say a word.

Ace slams his arm into the bar and twists it to show his watch. We all watch as He struggles to send the information to my grandfather. Once He finishes he shoots me a smirk reminding me how he thinks this plan won't work. I smirk back, you don't know where I stand here.

My grandfather quickly checks Ace, not making a face while doing it. He then moves to me, taking double the amount of points. He wears a small look of guilt as he hands me a key, "Room 23." He mumbles. He's never liked making me pay for things like that, none of my family has.

"Thank you, very much," I say, helping Ace up.

Once we make it up a set of stairs Ace tries walking by himself. Being completely tired, we let him. We watch him drag himself to the room, following behind him.

"You two seemed to know each other," Ash whispers, going back to his natural accent, as we get closer to the door Ace stopped at. I shrug before saying, "I've been here before."

"Oh? Did you tell him to cover for you?"

"Why? Does that concern you?"

He scoffs, looking back at Ace, "Just wondering."

"Let's all just take our sweet ass time!" Ace says, sarcastically, putting all his weight on the door. I growl saying, "We're right here!" he smirks to me as I unlock the door.

He runs in, but his slow movements make it easy for me to trip him, "Sorry, can't have you doing any funny business" I say opening my inventory. You can keep up to fifty things with the standard amount, then you can buy more space if you'd like. My inventory is mainly full of weapons, poisons, drugs, and handcuffs. I pull a tracker out and secure it to his ankle, "Dumb-ass."