Tides of Twilight - Chapter 14: The Encounter

And so, you fly West by airship...

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$: 5,000G

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You have decided to travel west in the airship that Vero's group will depart in. Feeling the need for some more firepower, you also decide to purchase the Gunslinger upgrade before you head out. 

You have purchased the Gunslinger upgrade for 6,000G!

You are now a Gunslinger.

You have received Lock & Load!

Description: A standard combo of dual-pistols. Unlike regular handguns, Gunslinger pistols have a longer barrel and larger clip sizes.

You: Aw yeah! I can't wait to test these babies out! 

You randomly begin to fire at various shooting targets in Flint's Workshop, cackling in delight. 

You:  This is so fricken' COOL! 

Flint frantically waves his arms in the air at you.

Flint: Yo, Rook! Stop! Those targets are merchandise, you know!?  If you want to test those things out, take em' to the shooting range in the Training Facility! Sheesh! 

You:  Eh!? My bad, my bad! 

Flint: It's fine...  I'm just glad you only went for the damn targets! It's going to cost you, though... Sorry, buddy. 

You: Do'h... Gotcha. 

Good job. You just cost yourself another 500G!

After returning to the second floor of the building, you decide to try your new guns out in the Training Facility to get a good grasp on how they feel. It doesn't take you long to settle into your new toys, as you begin to excel in your aim far better than you had with just a single handgun. 

A few clips later, you then decide it would be in your best interest to get to bed early for tomorrow. So you head to your very own Apprentice issue dorm room and crash for the night. 

You have a far shorter dream this time around than your previous ones. Of course, it's just as confusing as the last. In this dream, you are in a barren landscape that has been laid to waste by what appeared to be a very large and ferocious monster made purely of darkness. "Large" was actually an understatement; as the gigantic beast turns to look at you and reveals its almost-feral characteristics. It lets out a humongous roar and promptly swipes its shadow-blaring claw down on you before you can escape.

Lights out! 

The dream ends as quickly as it began, and you are chucked off your bed as suddenly as Salnar had begun trumpeting his whistle at you as per his wake up schedule. 

Salnar: Wake up, wake up, WAKE UUUUUP! 

You:  I'm up, I'm up... Sheesh, I'll never get used to this. 

Salnar: Damn right ye' is! You've an important job ta tend to, Rook! Shower, get dressed, brush yer teeth, eat breakf--

You: You don't have to explain my whole morning to me, Salnar.

Salnar: Very well. You've got five minutes. 

You: Okay... Wait, five minutes to do all that!?

Salnar: Aye. Best hurry. 

Salnar walks out with a casual smile. Just outside, you can hear him giving hell to your neighbors, followed by loud bangs and crashes most likely caused by their rude awakenings. Hoping Salnar was just exaggerating, you quickly bathe and get ready, picking up your weapons as you make a break for the cafeteria. 

You greet Roki and Naaj there, and are tempted to stay and chat with them. But you decide to take Salnar's warning seriously and take what breakfast you can hold with you to the Airship Hangar on the building's rooftop. There, you see that many other of the Brigade Apprentices had done the exact same thing as you. They stood just outside the ramps of their group's airships and awaited further orders, quickly devouring their breakfast. 

You: Looks like I made it with some time to spare... Mrnghrnghmngh. (Eating melon pie) Ohmm, damn, that's good...   Wait a minute... 

You stop eating and become tense. 

You: What is this feeling? I feel like something evil is approaching...

And then, suddenly...

Vero: SON OF A B***H!

Everybody stops what they're doing and turn around in shock. When they see the danger approaching, they scatter; their spirits nearly scared right out of them. 

Everyone:  RUUUUN! 

Vero: Grahhh!

Vero appeared to be chasing whoever he laid his eyes on; it didn't matter who or what they were. Needless to say, everybody ran on impulse, dropping their breakfast on the spot as if it was common routine. At this point, everybody was boarding whatever ship they could get to, and the ships flew off the moment they became packed. 

You hadn't quite reacted yet, being new to this... So naturally, Vero eventually turned his attention to you. 

Vero: (Growling) You...!

You: M-M-M-Me!?  

You drop your melon pie and prepare yourself. 

As Vero begins his charge, you scream and sprint up the airship's ramp. Taly steps in front of the doorway before you, blinking at you as you call to her. 

You: Run, Taly! Vero's going to kill us for no reason! 

Taly: He is going to... kill us? 

You look back and scream once more when you see that he's still coming, running past Taly. 

You: It's no use! We're done for! 

Taly: ...

Taly stands there without moving an inch, even as Vero turns his attention to her. He approaches her without slowing down, but comes to a sudden halt when he's about half an inch in front of her. He glares into her eyes, seemingly irritated by her calm stature against his hostility. 

Taly: ... 

Vero: You got something to say!? 

Taly: Yes. What is the matter? 

You watch, baffled as Taly stares right into the eyes of the BEAST. Unlike everyone else, she was curious as to the cause of his rage, rather than petrified in fear. 

Vero: Did you seriously just ask me that? You got a death wish or something? HUH!? 

Taly: ...? 

Vero: Are you sick in the head...? When you're staring at the one who's going to execute you, you don't ask stupid questions like, "What is the matter." 

Taly blinks at him. 

Taly: You're going to... execute me? But, why? 

Vero: Wh-Why!? What the hell's the matter with you? 

Taly: Nothing. What is the matter with you?

Vero: I'm gonna kill you, that's what! 

Taly:  Did you not say you would do that already? 

Flint begins cautiously making his way up the airship ramp, watching the two in bewilderment. 

Flint: No way... To think there was somebody who could withstand Vero's rage without even flinching...! Just who is this girl! Come to think of it, the only other person who's faced Vero without fear is Annie... But even then, she had to fight back. Yet, Taly he--

Vero's fist suddenly makes contact with Flint, sending him flying and squealing across the Airship Hangar. 

Vero: Screw you!!   Okay, I feel a little better now. Everybody get the f**k on board! 

Annie: Hear ye, hear ye. Vero's b***h fit is no more. Can we get a move on? 

Vero: Piss off, It's not my fault Salnar didn't do his job right and wake me up first like he was supposed to. Next time he does some stupid s**t like that, I'm gonna f*****g crucify him. 

Vero shoves you out of the way with his shoulder, even though you were far from being in his way. 

Vero: Move it, Apprentice! Don't stand where I'm about to walk. 

You: Fine, jeez... He was that mad because he didn't wake up on time? For our sakes we better not fail this mission, then.

The airship departs from H.Q. and begins flying westward. You join the others inside the cabin of the ship and watch the landscape go by below outside one of the window panes. When there's nothing else but a wide span of ocean, you get bored of watching and decide you need a better way to pass the time. Thus you realize, you're not exactly well acquainted with any of these people yet, besides Taly... Sort of. There's plenty of time to go around before you arrive at your destination, so you can probably talk to a few people before then. 

Annie is sitting at one of the small tables eyeing Taly in a curious yet stern manner. Flint has some of his custom rifle's parts laid out before him on a counter, shifting his eyes from piece to piece while occasionally humming out a small tune. Taly was idling out by the window pane separate to yours, not really doing much. And of course, Vero was giving a usual round of hell to the pilots, telling them to "hurry the f**k up." 

 Please proceed to the next page. 

Author's Note

I'm really sorry for the slow update on this chapter guys... But I hope the wait was worth it! This has been by far one of the longest chapters I've ever written! And I hope Chapter 15 justifies your wait even further ;) Which will be out soon.