Home; I Found With You // Ryeji FF

rule 3.

"Yeji, go back inside," Martin interjected, holding his daughter by the arm.

"Ryujin," she replied evenly, answering the cat-eyed woman's inquiry. "I don't mean to cause any trouble. Just passing by."

Yeji's skepticism was evident as she continued to scrutinize Ryujin. "We don't need any freeloaders or troublemakers here," she retorted, her words dripping with disdain.

"Don't worry, sweetie. She'll be leaving in the morning." Her father said calmly, attempting to defuse the tension.

The feline-eyed woman's scowl deepened, but she reluctantly acquiesced to her father's request and stepped back inside the homestead. Her posture remained defensive and made clear that she had reservations about Ryujin's presence.

Ryujin, for the most part, maintained her calm demeanour, recognising that not everyone she encountered would be easy to get along with. She bit her tongue, keeping her eyes on the young woman. In this world, personalities clashed, and survival often took precedence over pleasantries.

Ellie stepped forward to guide Ryujin to the guest bedroom. It was a modest but welcoming space, with a simple bed and a small table with a lantern.

"Here's your room," Ellie said with a warm smile. "You can rest here for the night, spare clothes are on the bed. We'll make sure you have some supplies for your journey in the morning."

"Thank you, Ellie." She replied, walking into the room and taking a seat on the edge,

The older woman nodded in understanding and left Ryujin to rest. With a weary sigh, she shut the door and threw her bag and axe on the floor. In need of a small respite, Ryujin reached into her bag and retrieved a bag of chips she had found during her scavenging earlier in town. She tore open the bag and took a seat at the small table in the room, the soft glow of the lantern casting a warm light.

In the quiet of the guest bedroom, with the loud crunch of the chips in her mouth, she was transported back to a painful moment from her past- the sound of her old base burning, consumed by flames and taking with it everyone she had cared for.

Her calloused hands gripped the wheel of her sports car, racing back to her house after a supply run. Her heart pounded in her chest, an eerie sense of dread gnawing at her as she approached her home.

As she rounded a bend in the road, her worst fears were becoming a reality. A thick plume of dark smoke billowed into the sky, obscuring the horizon. Panic surged within her as she floored the accelerator, desperate to reach the base.

"Come on, Ryujin." She whispered to herself, keeping her eyes on the smoke in front of her.

The scene that awaited her was one of utter devastation. Flames engulfed the structures she had called home, casting an eerie, flickering light that danced across the desolation. The base, once a safe place was now a smouldering ruin.

As the reality of the situation sank in, Ryujin's grief and despair threatened to consume her. The sound of crackling flames and distant cries for help echoed in her ears. The flames roared, smoke filled the air, and the heat was unbearable as she called out for her friend's name.

She pulled the sleeve to her mouth and nose, squinting from the stinging smoke as she searched for any signs of her. The moment she turned a corner, her heart dropped only to find Heejin, lying burnt and gravely injured amidst the ruins of what was their home.

"Heejin!" she cried out, rushing to her side, her hands trembling as she knelt beside her partner. Tears welled in her eyes as she took in the extent of Heejin's injuries. Her skin was charred, and the pain in her eyes was unbearable to witness.