A Journey Across Terra

20

"They sure are taking their time." Vigna said in a bored tone as she prodded at the campfire.

"Do you wanna just start cooking the MRE?" Frostleaf suggested.

"Oi oi, you really had low hopes for us." Utage's voice echoed from the distance.

"Speak of the devil." Vigna sighed as she shafted the idea of an early dinner.

As the duo returned to base camp, Utage happily presented the spoils of the hunt. A pair of rabbits.

"Haha." Utage had a confident smile on her face. "Whaat? Too stunned to speak?"

"Good job Coral." Vigna walked right past the proud girl and gave Yuki a light slap on the back. "Two rabbits eh. That'll do the job."

"Hey! You do know that I got one of those."

Vigna gave Utage a sceptical look before turning to Yuki.

"Yeah. She's not lying. Why'd you think we took so long."

"Huh. Well colour me surprised." She gave a nod of acknowledgement. 

"Hey! What's with that tone!?" Utage exclaimed.

{ - Adventures Across Terra - }

A couple minutes have passed, and Yuki was off to the side of the campfire, quietly humming to himself as he prepared the rabbit. Utage and Vigna were still bickering between themselves, whilst Frostleaf watched him.

"Coral...You have a very odd way of preparing rabbit." Frostleaf stated as she watched him bleed the rabbit, letting the blood drip into a jar. "Why keep the blood?"

"Yeah, well most people see no use in the blood and just throw it out. But I keep it for personal use." he didn't take his eyes off of the rabbit as he continued to prepare the rabbit.

"Y'know, before I joined Rhodes Island, I was a part of a mercenary group."

"A mercenary group eh?"

"Yes. A mercenary group." She nodded. "We weren't particularly close, but there was one girl... We were inseparable."

despite Yuki not turning his attention away from the rabbit, he was intently listening to her story.

"But then one day, we ran into someone." Her tone darkened. "A pythia...Claiming they were a Bivirgatus."

"What?" Yuki stopped in his tracks as he shot a sceptical glance with a hint of hostility in his tone.

"Yes. And they just so happen to have the very same pattern on their tail as yours." Frostleaf said in an accusatory tone.

"We don't choose to be like this." Yuki replied. "It's a primal instinct for us."

"So I've heard." She sighed. "I may not trust you...But if Doctor Kalt'sit trusts you with this job. I'll trust you...For now at least."

"If you want, I can tell you the few ways to deal with an enraged Bivirgatus."

"...Go on."

"Most methods leading to knocking them out work. On very rare occasions, seeing someone important to them. Then there's another way; A dosage of Bivirgatus venom arts. It can be either their own, or another Bivirgatus. It's the best and most sure-fire way to stop a bloodthirsty Bivirgatus. It is a phenomenon that goes by the name of Ouroboros."

"Ouroboros...I'll keep that in mind." Frostleaf muttered as she rubbed her chin.

"Just remember, we can't control it." Yuki said once again, in a more pleading tone.

"Yes, I'm aware. You've already told me."

{ - Adventures Across Terra - }

It was much later in the night. The smell of cooked meat was still present in the area as the fire slowly crackled in the night. Everyone was asleep in the car as they had a long day trip ahead of them.

From the car, Vigna slowly stumbled out, rubbing her eyes. "Toilet..."

"What are you doing?" Yuki who was sitting on a log, while intently staring off into the distance. "You need to rest."

"I just needed to go to the toilet." She sheepishly scratched her nape. "Why're you out here on your own?"

"Just keepin watch."

"Just keeping watch?" Vigna nodded before walking off into the distance. "Just don't take it too hard kay."

"Okay." Yuki looked back into the distance.

A little later, Vigna returned and took a seat next to Yuki.

"What is it?" Yuki kept his eyes on the campfire.

"Just keeping you company." She chuckled. "So, you like music?"

"Yeah." He replied. "I can play the Lyre, the piano, and I'm learning the Kalimba."

"Ooh. It's not every day you come across a multi-instrumentalist." Vigna's eyes sparkled with interest.

"Well when you have a lot of time on your hands, you kinda find many hobbies."

"Hmm. I guess that's true." Vigna rubbed her chin. "You said you were the Serpentine Wanderer or something right?"

"Yeah, I did."

"What're some of your stories? Where've you been?" she leaned closer to Yuki and gave him a curious smile.

"Well since we're heading to Columbia, I guess I could tell you a story of a time I went there." He replied. "On my first day there, I got quite lost and ended up going around in circles."

"Eugh, that must have sucked." The Sarkaz lightly chuckled. "You're living a child's worst nightmare."

"Yeah, it wasn't that bad though." Yuki looked up to the sky and smiled. "I met a good friend through that little disaster."

"Ooh! Please do tell."

"Heh, you sound like my mum."

"Hey, come on, I'm not even mid-twenties yet!" She pouted.

"Alright alright, sit tight while I tell you a story of how I met one of my many friends."

{ - Adventures Across Terra - }

"Yeah, then she-huh?" Mid story, Vigna had fallen asleep. "Heh, wow. Falling asleep mid story, how rude." He lightly chuckled to himself as he picked up the sleeping Sarkaz in a princess carry.

With some struggling, he managed to open the door to the truck while trying to hold Vigna in his arms. He promptly placed her in a comfortable position.

He looked on for a short moment with a smile on his face. "Sleep tight, don't let the Bivirgatus bite."

Hello! A-kun here! I havent died yet. Just been really busy, but here's a new chapter for you all to enjoy.

Bye Bye!