The Hidden Crystal

Chapter 15

Crazy works better for us.

Char mulled Rath's words over in his head until he fell asleep, and they were at the top of his mind again during the team's flight home the next day.

He and Rath had a history of being troublemakers, but maybe 'crazy' wasn't the best word for them. 'Impulsive' was probably a better representation. If they felt like taking off for a few days, then that's what they did. Rules and regulations were more like guidelines to them, just as they had been for their father.

Char couldn't count the number of times their mother had scolded their father when they returned from a spontaneous adventure, usually with mild injuries and wild stories. Their father would flash her his famous smile and sweep her into a kiss, and she'd smile and say something about how she should have known better than to marry a hooligan like him.

Everybody said she was a saint for putting up with him all those years.

It had been too long since they'd visited her, Char thought with a pang of guilt.

They exited the barracks to the city within the hollow mountain. Streets that were busy with people going to and fro spread out before them, the scene lit from above by algae and moss growing on the ceiling, shining light almost as brilliant as natural sunlight down on the hustle and bustle. Flower boxes perched on the window ledges of the stone houses and shops here or there, colorful blooms breaking up the gray backdrop. The residents were colorful, too, with eyes and hair in shades never seen among humans, wearing bold dresses and bright shirts and pants in every color imaginable.

Char and Rath were in the minority with their dull black attire.

"Wonder if she's baking something?" Rath asked.

"It's almost lunchtime. She's probably cooking, not baking."

"Ah, real food that tastes good! Why is it so hard to find a good cook in the army?"

Char shrugged. "I don't know. You'd think they could at least hire someone for the barracks. It isn't like you need military training to cook."

The streets seemed busier than usual. Char ran through the days in his head, searching for the reason. It was... Friday, wasn't it? That was it. People were on their lunch breaks, doing whatever shopping they needed for the weekend. The younger crowd was getting their party supplies ready.

Weekends seemed to be one of two things: quiet family affairs or wild parties.

"Hey, Char, Rath, haven't seen you two around in a while!"

"Coming to the party?"

"You know who's gonna be there."

Rath grinned and gave cheerful, short responses to the people who greeted them as they went. A group of giggling girls in front of a dress shop batted their eyelashes at him, and he flashed them a smile, very much like their father's. One girl practically swooned.

Char chuckled and shook his head. "Do you even know any of those girls?"

Rath shrugged. "I think I've seen them around. The one with pink hair seems familiar. Maybe I danced with her at the last party we crashed."

"Is that all you did with her?"

"Who can say?" Rath gave Char a roguish grin. "It's been a while since we've been to a wild party. What do you say we go out tonight?"

"Kelnor hasn't given us the night off."

"Which has never stopped us before. Come on, you need to loosen up. A night on the town is just what you need."