Hunting for a way home - Shalnark x Reader

Chapter 17 - Well, I think we raided a garden.

A nervous excitement had you almost bouncing. Shalnark looked at you seriously speaking in a low tone, "You got to keep it down unless you want everyone on guard duty to know we're here. You're making too much noise." You looked at him sheepishly and nodded. A smile reappeared on his face as he watched you shaking his head and turning back to face the back wall closest to the Moon Triumphant garden you both had gone to earlier. This was supposed to be a quick and easy, in and out. This place surprisingly from what Shalnark had looked into didn't have alot of guards despite his warning to keep the noise down.

You made quick work of getting on top of the wall beside him when he motioned for you to do so. Jumping down into the moon courtyard while he stayed up on the wall to keep watch, you walked up to the now flowering plant. It had a sparkly violet inside yet silvery glow. It was a shame they didn't keep the garden open at night this would have been the main attraction in your opinion. Shalnark was keeping watch on the wall as you approached the flowering plant. Opening the ziplock bag you got for collecting the flowers you started tugging as many flowers as you could get your hand on into the bag packing it full and tight. "Two guards are coming around the bend, hurry and let's get out of here."

Thick silvery dust began coating the inside of the bag and you closed it quickly sealing it, tucking it into your bra. You had been very careful to handle the flowers with gloves and avoided breathing them in. Backing away from the plant you rushed back towards Shalnark and jumped up to get beside him on the wall. "Let's go, I got what I needed." Just as we were about to leap down. Something unexpected happened.

"Well! I must say I can't say I'm surprised to see you two back here." The old woman receptionist from earlier was walking into the Moon Garden looking up between the pair of you. "You know we don't really get a lot of guests here and the ones that do come usually have reservations. So I found it interesting to see you two coming in here today. I couldn't put my finger on it but I just had a feeling you two were up to no good and it appears I was right." You felt an aura from the side of the wall you both had planned on jumping down flare.

Looking to Shalnark without hesitation you said "I'll take the old woman you take the person down there. Deal?" Nodding he smiled as he took his pin out, jumping down the other side of the wall. You jumped back down to face the old lady. She only sagely smiled, "Oh dear.. did you really think I'd be easy?" You blinked before smiling, "Not even a little."

Lunging forward towards her she only smiled before letting her Malicious Ren flare. Gritting your teeth against the obvious threat she just made herself out to be you didn't bother slowing being in Ten kept it from impacting you harshly. Bracing her feet her arm snapped out towards your face you barely dodged the fast blow. But that didn't stop you from sending your own blow to her stomach.

She must not have been expecting that because your blow was surprisingly hard enough to make her cough up a bit of blood. You went to back up but she smiled maliciously at you as she slammed a familiar looking thorn into your forearm. That familiar warmth filled your chest again.

"No mistakes this time, I'm going to control you now for sure you little bitch!" But when you looked at her eyebrows raised and said "What do you mean this time?" She actually rushed backwards falling as she looked up at you in horror.

"You know it's rude to stab thorns at people right?" You couldn't help but scold her. Upon hearing a noise on the wall you turned your head and saw Shalnark jumping down off the wall heading to your side smiling down at the woman, "Wow Y/N, didn't expect you to be the type to play with your toys before ending them. You just keep on surprising me!"