Civitas

Change / 5th Capital (Part 1)

In the morning, Cade, Sibyl, Leo, and Valentino are woken by the sound of giggles.

They drowsily sit up in the bed and watch with foggy eyes as Laya runs across the front of the their room giggling while shaking her dress. They all smile at the teen before them.

"'Morning Laya." Valentino says, carefully pulling his hair into a ponytail.

Laya stops running and stops before the bed with a bright smile. "Good morning everyone!"

They all smile at her, instantly refreshed by her bright smile.

Her companions suddenly see something moving under the folders of her dress and she giggles once more and shakes her dress with vigour.

"Laya?" Cade says, concerned for Laya. "What is that?"

"Her name is Blue." Laya says. "She's from the next Capital."

"'She'?" Leo asks. "Is it the glow-fish?"

Lay nods her head and seems to be communicating with the fish--Blue. After a few moments the glow-fish swims out from under the folds of Laya's dress, and swims around her head.

"She says she knows where we can return her to her owner. She knows where they live in the next Capital." Laya explains to them. "She can lead us there."

"The fish?" Leo asks, as if clarifying.

Laya nods her head.

"So you can talk to animals?" Cade asks, then turns to Leo with a smirk. "No wonder she could understand you Leon!"

Leo growls at Cade. "Was that an insult? Eh?! Thief?!"

Sibyl and Valentino sigh but before anyone can do anything the fish--Blue--swims across the faces of both Leo and Cade.

"Ugh!" Cade exclaims, wiping his face. Leo makes the same face and lifts his shirt up to wipe his face, exposing his chest and lower abdomen.

Laya giggles at them and Blue returns to swimming around her head.

"How about some breakfast?" Leo grumbles, rubbing his empty stomach.

The others nod at his proposal, and they take their belongings as they all exit the room. They take another vertical shaft to the ground floor of the hotel, where they hotel staff provide food buffet-style.

Laya continues to communicate with Blue while the others eat their breakfast. Her companions cast worried glances at her when they see that she is not eating. Blue notices their looks and asks Laya why she is not eating.

Do not tell her. Ayal says, and his voice seems irritated to Laya.

Why not? None of my companions can understand her speech like we can. She will not tell them. Laya replies mentally.

Laya--

"Is your stomach feeling a little better?" Sibyl asks, interrupting Ayal.

Laya chuckles at how she interrupted Ayal while he was speaking. Her companions await her answer to Sibyl's question, slightly worried at her chuckle.

"By a small amount. Thank you for your concern Sibyl." Laya replies.

Sibyl nods, but she and all of Laya's companions seem very worried about Laya's health.

After they all finished their breakfast, Cade asks one of the staff members if he could have something to carry some food for Laya in. After choosing some food and putting it into the small container that they brought for him, he places it into his bag.