Rin Nakamura is more like her mother than she thinks. She enjoys tearing down the proud and powerful, and there is no one who deserves tearing down like the very goddess she descended from. They say that the children of Nemesis, even when unclaimed...
Rin stirred restlessly on the hard ground, the uneven earth beneath her offering little comfort, but she clung on to the last remnants of sleep regardless. Then, as if summoned by some mischievous sprite, a cacophony shattered the tranquillity, and a shrill clanging pierced the air, assaulting Rin's ears with its relentless insistence.
With a groan of annoyance, she jolted awake, her eyes snapping open to confront the source of the disturbance, but before her bleary gaze could fully focus, she was met with a sight that seemed straight out of a surreal dream.
A little brass monkey, no larger than her fist, stood defiantly before her, its tiny cymbals crashing together with chaotic abandon. Each clash reverberated through the air, amplified by the stillness of the surrounding wilderness. Rin blinked in disbelief, momentarily unable to process the absurdity of the situation.
As she struggled to sit up, her gaze flickered beyond the toy, drawn to a pair of sturdy hiking boots planted firmly on the ground. Following the trail upward, her eyes widened in surprise as they settled on a broad, muscular figure looming over her.
Samarah.
Dark hair plaited over her shoulder, eyes sparkling with excitement, the older girl stood tall and imposing, her arms crossed over her chest in a stance of casual confidence. The contrast between their appearances was stark – Rin, dishevelled and bleary-eyed from sleep, and Samarah, radiant and full of energy.
"What in the world..." Rin sighed, her voice trailing off as she struggled to make sense of the unexpected encounter.
Samarah grinned mischievously, the expression lighting up her features with infectious warmth. "Surprise!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying a hint of playful mischief. "Thought I'd wake you up in style."
"Style? More like you're trying to make me go deaf," Rin retorted, gesturing pointedly at the still-clanging monkey.
The other girl chuckled, reaching down to scoop up the tiny toy with practiced ease. With a flick of her wrist, she silenced its incessant noise, the sudden quiet echoing in the wake of its frenetic cacophony.
