HIROGERU (Season 1)

Episode 13 - Safe Zone

Chapter 13 – Safe Zone

It had been 2 days since the incident at Friedland City as Seiryu now with his companions continued to travel the road with their vehicle. Draven was asleep while seated on the cart while Lei held on to the long haired Rogue. His hood was down due to the wind raging against his face while he sped with the motorcycle.

They were closing in on a truck stop which looked to be a part of the town that they were closing in on.

“Convenient.” He thought as he maneuvered the motorcycle closer to it. He felt Lei’s arms around his abdomen area as he rode on.

Seiryu looked over his shoulder and saw that she was asleep as well.

“Exhausted huh?” he said as his eyes went back on the road. “That’s probably due to the fight we had two days ago.” He said but then just as he was about to focus on driving once more he felt a nudge on his arm. It seems that Lei had awoken.

“Where are we?” she said as she rubbed her eyes with her hands.

“I have no idea.” He replied to her. “I just kept heading south of Friedland after our battle with them.” He said to her.

“Oh.” Lei replied as she looked around and saw that the roads were a bit clear. “Them huh?” she thought to herself. “So how do you know those guys?” she asked him with a curious tone.

He didn’t answer her question as he slowed down the motorcycle. The vehicle closed in on one parking space and Seiryu slowed it down to park it eventually. He turned off the engine as he felt Lei’s arms were no longer around his waist because she had already gotten off the motorbike.

It cued Draven to wake up as well. The three of them found themselves on a truck stop near the main road that stretched from Friedland City.

“Damn that was a good sleep.” The redhead said as he stretched out his hands.

“Shut up.” Lei said to him. “Red eyes here didn’t get enough sleep so he doesn’t need you haggling him about it.” She said to him.

“I’m fine.” He said calmly as he looked around. The Rogue now pulled up his hood to conceal his face. The stop that they were in had a gas station, a convenience store and a diner all lined up in one.

“Draven.” Seiryu said to him as the redhead looked towards him.

“What?” he asked him in response.

“Fill it up.” The hooded Rogue said to him as he asked him to refill the motorbike with a sidecar with gas.

“And just exactly how am I going to pay for this?” Draven retorted at him.

“You’ll figure something out.” The long haired Rogue said as he walked towards the entrance of the Diner. Lei followed him while Draven just shrugged his shoulders and moved the vehicle towards the refill station.

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Inside the diner, it was a bland place. There was little going on unlike in the café that they were in. There were a few tables lined up and it was sort of a dinky restaurant in look. There were a couple of waiters too as they brought around the food for the customers.

The two now looked for a seat and they found one near the window. Seiryu took the window seat while Lei sat on the opposite of his side.

“You didn’t answer my question.” She said as she tucked her silver locks behind her ear.

“What question?” the Rogue said as he looked out the window. He was resting his head on his hands in a cupped manner.

“I asked you on how do you know those people that attacked us.” She said to him.

Seiryu sighed as he fixed up his hood. He saw her looking at him with her green eyes. Lei’s look was that of a serious one rather than the easy going type, which was usually her demeanor.

“They were my friends and we were the ones who stopped the incident on the Sanctum Dei Cronos’ ruins.” He replied to her.

“Oh.” Lei said to him. Her thoughts drifted to the time that Seiryu saved the azure haired girl from the shadow creature’s attack. His darkness was what stood out to her thoughts.

“Friends huh?” she asked. “How’d you meet them?” Lei continued to ask him.

“We went to the same battle academy together.” Seiryu replied to her. “It would seem that they have graduated already.” He said to her. “While I was asleep for two years.” He thought to himself.

“They did look like adept fighters.” Lei replied to him. “Skills like that are not generic State Mercs types.” She added.

“Big talk for someone who’s probably got a rank already.” Seiryu’s voice rang inside Lei’s mind as she remembered him facing off with the fire wielder while she was caught up in the shadows.

“Seems like they were ordered to apprehend me.” The Rogue said to her. “Perhaps the State has said that I was responsible for the infectious darkness around Helms Rock. My luck is just great.” He scoffed as he looked out the window.

“Don’t take it so hard Red Eyes.” Lei said to him with a grin on her face.

“The State’s investigation was probably going nowhere so they decided to get a scapegoat.” He said as he sighed. “Stupid fuckers.” He muttered as he exhaled.

Lei giggled a bit on his statement. She was still a bit curious on why he saved the azure haired girl.

“I made a promise two years ago.” His voice rung in her head once more as she remembered the way Seiryu went out of his way to save the blue haired girl.

“Promise…” Lei said out loud with a serious look on her face.

The word alone was enough to make the Rogue in front of her react. He looked towards her a little bit but then just shrugged off her statement.

“Why save her?” she asked him and immediately the Rogue knew what she was talking about. It was the time that he saved Yue from the shadow creatures. 

“None of your business.” He replied coldly to her as he tried to look away.

“You saved her and despite that she still tried to arrest you.” Lei said to him. “Something is up.” She said with a grin on her face.

“If that’s what you think then go ahead think that way.” He said calmly as possible. Seiryu looked away from her as he saw the world from the window of the diner.

Lei played with a lock of her hair while the two of them waited for a waiter to cater to them. Her thoughts revolved around the word promise.

“So what was the promise?” she tried to ask him but she had fear in her for she was actually butting in his personal business already.

“I told you, it’s none of your business.” He said to her as he was just about getting pissed about this whole conversation.

“But I-“ the silver haired girl tried to reason to him.

“Look just shut up okay?” Seiryu said as he had a serious look on his face. “Don’t butt in your nose where it doesn’t belong.” He added as he continued to look out the window.

“All right.” Lei said in her mind as silence filled the void between the two of them.

“Why am I still thinking about that promise?” Seiryu thought to himself. “They’re out to arrest me and yet that’s all that matters in my mind. I hope she hasn’t forgotten.” He thought as the two of them silently sat down inside the diner.

It seems that there are more things to come.