Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Roland (LeanderxRoland)

Chapter 2: The Day Ahead

"Higgely Pig!! HIG HIG HIGGLEY PIGGELY"

A bright and boisterous Jumblie the Lovely sun higgledy startled me into waking. I sat straight up looking dead-eyed into the 'sun' that wouldn't stop screaming.

"I got it!! Go away! Bother someone else!!" Yelling for her to shush. I wasn't exactly a morning person, I didn't exactly get the best night sleep, and her going off like the morning rooster was perpetuating a headache.

Jumblie merely tipped her hat and bounced off leaving me to my thoughts.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes.

'It couldn't possibly be morning already, could it?' I barely slept at all. The weight of the covers practically begging me to curl back up just for a little longer.

Squinting my eyes at the open window, I gave in to the pull of the morning. I threw on the undershirt for my Swordsman's Robes in an attempt to look more presentable than I felt. You could already hear the hustle and bustle of the kingdom between all of the traders, gatherers, and researchers beginning their morning routines. I must've overslept considering the crew didn't stop a higgledy from waking me up. Maybe they'd consider being sympathetic towards my exhaustion. Just maybe, but I hardly seemed to be so lucky with this lot.

"Good Morning, sunshine!" Bracken came barreling into my quarters with her hands clasped together and the brightest smile spread across her face. She downs so much Strong Coffee every morning I'm surprised her heart hasn't burst from the caffeine.

"Morning to you too. Didn't even stop to knock, aye?" I splashed my face with water to wake me up "What are the plans for today?"

She whipped out her handy, dandy memolith, ignoring my jest, and began reading off everything she planned for the team to do today. Something consisting of us touring the kingdom to answer any calls we could help with, Tani, Batu, and herself would be heading to the Sky Pirate's base to gather intel, and finalizing kingdom upgrades. A very busy day, indeed. Bracken was ticking things off of her list as she spoke and was filling me in on specific information pertaining to my personal schedule.

I wasn't listening very closely, instead I was debating whether or not to pull my hair back since we wouldn't be in our usual attack modes. I'd leave it down; it looked much nicer framing my face anyways. Not that it mattered to anyone besides myself, but it boosted my confidence to say the least.

Bracken gave me a look.

"I know you're not listening, so can we just go to breakfast, please? You won't even pretend to indulge me, you grouchy grimchilla"

I sighed, letting a soft smile come to my face.

"Yes, yes, let's go. I'm sorry Bracken...I just barely slept last night..."

That familiar grin spread across her face the second she heard me.

"You were thinking about Leander again weren't you?"

"Not like that, you dork..." We walked towards the dining hall "...I was just trying to figure out what Hydropolis could gain from sending Leander with us is all...I can't get over how odd it seems that he fits in so well. He has been faithful to Nerea for years, why would he decide to leave his practically betrothed wife to join our team?"

Bracken watched me as we were heading to our seats.

"Perhaps Leander just wants what's best for Evan and both of the kingdoms. Maybe Leander is just happy to be here like the rest of us?" She leaned her head on her palms and smiled broadly "I think if you two spent some time together you'd come to find you're not so different."