From Ashes and Dust (Book One)

Chapter 3.2

"Did you get taller?" Hisato questioned, crinkling his small nose. "She did, didn't she?" He directed his second question to Spyro.

"You're going to make an Amazonian joke, aren't you? Always so bitter I'm a head taller than you." Vatra waved her hand from the top of her head to Hisato's, noting their obvious difference in height. She couldn't help but chuckle and stepped forward, pulling Hisato into a hug. Besides Spyro, he was the only other person from her past she knew and trusted.

Hisato returned the gesture, pulling away after a moment. "One of these days I'll catch your face before you hide it. Both of you." He looked between Spyro and Vatra with a grin. "What are you guys here for, anyway?"

"Meeting up with some pirates," Vatra answered. "The usual."

"Well, we haven't had anyone new in a while, but you guys can hang around for as long as you need. There hasn't been much trouble lately," Hisato said.

"Thank you. And I hope it stays that way for you. We saw some tricky bandits out in the Dead Zone. They're getting desperate," Vatra commented.

Folding his arms, Hisato leaned back on the heels of his boots. "What can I say, I'm a guardian spirit, and it's been quiet for a little too long. I've been aching for a little action around here. It would give me something to do, at least."

"The last time I saw you fight was in the Boshin War, and I can't say you were the best guardian spirit," Vatra said.

"You were at the Boshin War?" Spyro asked. He turned his head quickly at the mention. "How interesting. I did not think you bothered yourself with battles outside of Europe."

"First of all, ouch," Hisato said, directing his first statement to Vatra, "and second of all, it seems that Vatra hasn't told you about the time she went on her self-discovering trip to Japan during a civil war and thought it best to literally sell her life for a fight."

"So, nothing has changed about her," Spyro concluded. "I am not surprised."

Vatra blew air from her nose. "And when I died in a glorious blaze of fire, they all thought I was the Hou-ou. Chiyo was pissed at me for a few centuries after, thinking I tried to take her place. Admittedly, not my finest moment in subtly dying, but we all learn lessons... Speaking of learning, I'm learning that I really want to move out of this blinding room and walk around somewhere else."

"She has been deflecting me all day," Spyro said with a not-so-conspicuous lean to Hisato.

Hisato flitted a gaze between them with a smug look. He ran a hand through his hair, smoothing back his mohawk, and gestured for them to follow him. "All right, all right. Let's end this age-old discussion and go somewhere else. If you guys need to buy up on any supplies, we recently got a new shipment in from Rumoria."

"We do need some food," Vatra said with a nod.

She held up her wrist, checking to make sure she'd transferred enough credits to her account before they left the room. The screen from her watch was cracked, and took a moment as she tapped in the instructions.

"Shit," Vatra breathed out, impatiently scrolling along the screen.

"All that credit, and you have yet to buy a new watch?" Spyro observed, leaning over her shoulder.

Vatra growled and swiped the screen out of view, trusting that she had enough credits in her main account. Regardless, Spyro would have enough for both of them.

"You're learning this sarcasm too quickly," she said with a half-smile. "Lead us away, Hisato."

"Both of you remind me of an old married couple," Hisato joked, folding his hands behind his head. The doors leading out into Belltower whisked to the side in front of him like two servants bowing out of the way.