Lonely Day - Chapter 2: Chorrol

A/N: Forgot this website still exists. Already deleted the doc. I thought I uploaded it here. Had to copy and past from Ao3.

Fugo awoke next to Trish. She was still asleep. He got out of bed and changed into his favorite green outfit and headed downstairs to the kitchen. He checked the pantry and brought out some eggs, bacon, and slices of bread. Once he was done cooking, he brought out two plates and placed them on the dining table. There were some fruit juices such as apple and strawberry juice. There wasn't any orange juice. A shame, he was craving it. He took the strawberry juice, took two glasses from the cabinets, and poured some juice for himself and Trish.

He sat down and ate his breakfast. Trish eventually woke up and headed downstairs.

“Oh, you made breakfast,” she commented and sat down at the table.

“Yeah, I need to head over to my friend’s house to fetch my armor. If he’s home.”

Trish wasn’t the only biggest fan. He had a Wood Elf friend named Narancia. They were good friends and knew each other's secrets. However, he didn’t know that he was part of the Dark Brotherhood. He wasn’t sure how he’d react. Perhaps it’d be best if nobody knew.

“Hey, I just remembered something,” Fugo said, causing Trish to stop eating. “When you go to Cheydinhal, do I have to come? There’s somebody I’d like to avoid.”

“You’re free to do what you want, but if you’re trying to avoid someone, can’t you just beat them up?”

“I would, but that would be assault. Besides, I’m tired of fighting.”

“Owyn and Ysabel probably won’t like that. Wait, what will you do?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I should be a potion seller?”

“That would be nice. I could grow a garden. Hmm, do you think we could move somewhere else? This place stinks. I hate it here. Maybe we could live somewhere in High Rock? I wonder if it’s beautiful there.”

“Not sure, but that’s too far away. How about Skingrad? You might like it there.”

“Maybe. Just wondering, these recommendations I will be doing, could you tell me what I have to do?”

“They’ll probably ask you to do some meaningless task. Don’t worry too much about it.”

Fugo then ate his food, and Trish continued eating. Once they were done, they placed their dishes on the counter.

“If you need me, I’ll be at the Waterfront District. Be sure to pack things you need,” he said to her before he left.

It was 10 AM when he arrived at the Waterfront District. While on his way, he bought some supplies, which made him arrive later. While walking around the district, he stopped and noticed Hieronymus Lex wasn’t there as well as fewer guards. Instead, there was a different captain with long white hair. He wore black lipstick as well. Fugo has never seen him before. He continued walking to Narancia’s house—technically his—behind the walls of the Waterfront district. Fugo’s house was the only one with a bunch of weeds growing, except for the abandoned house. Once at the door, he knocked.

“Come on in!” someone yelled. “It isn’t locked.”

Fugo entered his home. He could see Narancia and Mista were there, lying in their beds. Mista is Fugo’s friend as well. He didn’t know much about him except that he was a murderer, but that didn’t seem likely. If Mista did commit murder, he would’ve been a part of the Dark Brotherhood. Instead, he and Narancia were members of the Thieves Guild.

“Narancia, it’s good to see you. And Mista,” Fugo said, “do you ever wash that hat?”

The hatted Imperial touched his head. “Doesn’t feel dirty.”

“You should probably wash it once a week or two.” Fugo looked at his armor, which was between both of their beds. “Ah, it’s still here, and it's shiny. Narancia, you didn’t have to do that.”

“Well, I did,” the Wood Elf responded. “So, where are you heading this time, and for how long?”

“My first stop will be Chorrol and then other places. I’m not sure how long this will take. I need to bring my armor with me. I should get going. I need to pack some food.”

“Hey, Fugo, catch!” Mista said, tossing him a coin pouch. The blond managed to catch it. The coin purse was big and a little bit heavy. Narancia’s mouth was wide open.

“Judging from Narancia’s expression, this seems like a lot for you to hand out,” Fugo examined.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re going to need it more than me. Besides, I can figure out ways to get more money.”

“Mista, you still can’t pickpocket to save your life.”

“Yes, I can. If I can manage to sneak in this potion of paralysis—”

Fugo took the armor and left before they got into an argument.

It was 7 AM when Giorno awoke in the mage quarters. Some of the other mages were asleep while others lazed in their beds. The blond Breton immediately got out of bed and headed outside to gather some plants for Fugo. He took every plant that grew from the gardens. Whatever their properties were, it did not matter. Fugo could make a potion out of it and sell it for some Septims.

When Giorno finished gathering herbs, it was 8 AM. He still had some time to kill. Giorno may as well shop around. If he weren’t so tired from traveling, he would’ve done some night shopping. Instead, he’ll just have to charm the shopkeepers for discounts. His first stop was at the staff shop. Giorno had a staff, but since Trish was going to join the Mages’ Guild, he might as well buy a gift for her.

Giorno entered Rindir’s Staffs. Since Rindir recently opened, there was hardly anyone here. Enchanted clothing, armor, and weaponry were on display. The weapon racks held unenchanted staves. Rindir, the Wood Elf, stood behind the counter and noticed him walking in.

“Hello,” he greeted.

Giorno walked towards the counter. “Greetings, how’s business?”

“Not doing well, I’m afraid. So, what are you up to?”

“Planning an adventure with someone. I’ll be away from the city for quite a while. I’m going to need a staff that can cast fire. Do you have any of that?”

“I have plenty of that. Although, the cost of the staff depends on how strong the enchantment is. If you’re looking for one with a strong enchantment, I’d say we’re looking into the thousands.”

Giorno’s eyes wandered to the staff locked behind a standing glass display. There were many locks on that one. Rindir noticed what he was staring at.

“Oh, I see you noticed Apotheosis. That would be 3,500 Septims,” he said.

“Why so much?”

“It does frost, fire, and shock damage.”

“Impressive,” Giorno said before casting a charm spell on him. “How much did you say?”

“3,500 Septims, but I could lower that a little.”

“Would 1,600 Septims do?”

“Sure!” Rindir said. He walked over to the case and unlocked it, handing him the staff. “It’s yours, my friend.”

Giorno handed him the coin and left. Now all he needed was food to pack.

-

Trish looked into her dressing table’s mirror and applied her usual pink lipstick. Afterward, she brushed her hair. When she finished, she was getting hungry. It was already lunchtime. It must be time to head to the arena. On her way out, she took her heavy bags, went downstairs into the kitchen, and took some braided bread.

Arriving at the arena, she spotted Fugo and Giorno near the entrance. The two seem well-equipped and ready for an adventure.

“Good afternoon, I hope you two weren’t waiting forever,” Trish said.

“No,” Giorno said, “we just got here a few minutes ago. Anyways, I have a gift for you.”

He handed her Apotheosis. Fugo saw the smile growing on her face as she received it. She thanked him. The blond Imperial couldn’t help but feel jealous.

“I was wondering why you were carrying two staves,” Fugo commented. “And Trish, I thought I’d never see you wearing pants. You look good.” Why didn’t I think of buying her something?

Trish wore a white off-shoulder puff sleeve shirt with a pink and red floral decorated corset. Her pants and high-heeled boots were black.

“You sure you should be wearing heels?” said Giorno. “This is going to be a long walk.”

Trish pouted. “You two are alike, you know. We wasted enough time. Since we’re here, let’s go.”

She turned around and headed to the exit.

Their trip on the Black Road was uneventful. Sometimes there would be a highwayman near Fort Ash, but nobody was there. It was peaceful, too peaceful. Giorno wondered if the vampire activities could be why there were hardly any bandits. Wouldn’t it be easier to prey on the weak? Then again, Giorno had no experience fighting vampires. Perhaps they were stronger than he thought.

Trying to find something else to focus on, Giorno cast the clairvoyance spell. The mist separated, but the other path no longer led north but southwest.

“Are you casting spells?” Fugo grabbed his attention. “We’re almost there.”

They entered Chorrol, where a statue greeted them. The city wasn’t as beautiful as Skingrad, but it was spacious. As for the temperature, it was a bit breezy.

They continued walking along, heading to the Mages Guild, until Trish stopped.

“I’m a bit nervous,” she explained. “Fugo, you said I might be doing some meaningless task, but what if it’s different now?”

“Avdol believed getting accepted into the Mages Guild was too easy,” Giorno replied. “You’ll be performing a task that matches what each guildhall specializes in. We’re in Chorrol, and this guildhall specializes in conjuration.”

“They’ll probably ask you to conjure a broom and sweep their floors,” Fugo said. “Don’t worry so much about it. I’ll be outside.”

Trish and Giorno went in. Banners and paintings decorated the walls of the guild hall, and glass cases displayed different types of soul gems. A large circular yellow rug with a sun and eye in the middle caught Trish’s attention. There were some symbols around it that she didn’t understand. As for Giorno, he sees that all five residents were here. One of them, an Argonian in blue robes, approached the two.

“Giorno, it’s been a while,” the Argonian said. “Is this elf the reason why you’re here?”

“Hello, Teekeeus,” the Breton replied. “Yes, she’s looking to get a recommendation. Her name is Trish.”

“A recommendation, huh? I don’t know. Are you sure she can handle this by herself?”

“I can handle it,” Trish responded. “I have to conjure something, correct?”

“Well, yes, you conjure something, but you have to do slightly more than that, such as fighting. Speaking of fighting, Avdol needs someone to clear a vampire lair up north. Do you know where Lipsand Tarn is?”

“It’s west of Sancre Tor,” Giorno answered. “But isn’t Will hunting vampires? Why let newcomers do it?”

“I haven’t thought of a task for it. I might as well kill two birds with one stone. Trish, do you know any conjuration spells?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t,” the High Elf replied. Teekeeus handed her a tome filled with novice-leveled spells. “Thank you, but what happens if a vampire bites me?”

“Did you already forget I cured your mother’s illness?” Giorno commented.

“Right, sorry. Let’s get going before it gets dark.”

Before Trish could leave, Giorno still had a few words to say. “One second. Teekeeus, where are all the other books? I know you have more than soul gems locked behind glass displays. What happened to them?”

“We had to send them to the Arcane University. Avdol didn’t want to risk a thief getting close to the books. Since the Oblivion Crisis ended, people’s stares have been scornful.”

Having nothing to say, Giorno left the guildhall with Trish. Fugo, who was sitting near the oak tree, stood up.

“So, what pointless task do we have to do this time?” the blond Imperial asked.

“There’s a vampire lair in Lipsand Tarn,” Trish answered.

“What?” He no longer had an unamused expression on his face. “They’re making you do this?”

“Yes, now let’s go before daylight fades. How long will it take for us to get there?” She looked towards Giorno.

“Should take us a couple of minutes. We have time.”

It took them a couple of minutes to get there, just as Giorno predicted. It was getting cloudy and colder.

“I hate Ayleid ruins,” Fugo commented. “They all look the same. It’s easy to get lost in them.”

“Agreed,” Giorno added. “I got lost in one once. You’d think clairvoyance would help, but it wasn’t showing me the way properly. I ended up in a circle. Oh, and Trish, be aware of traps.”

They entered the ruins and went down the stairs. It was dark until Giorno summoned a ball of light around him. They could see the cracked white stone floors. It smelled musty, and Trish couldn’t stand the smell. Up ahead, there was some fog and some blood.

“What do you know, a trap. Rest in peace to the poor fool,” Fugo commented. “There’s one way around this. Just hug the walls until we get past the pillars with the Welkynd stones.”

Once they got past the pillars, a Wood Elf vampire cladded in fur armor approached them. A bow and quiver were behind his back.

“I was wondering what that noise was,” he said. “Three against one. That seems unfair, but perhaps I could take care of at least one of you guys.”

The vampire drew his bow, but before he could release the arrow, Fugo charged and pierced his glass sword through him, turning the elf into a pile of ash.

“Fugo!” Giorno whispered. “That was Trish’s kill.”

“And?” Fugo responded. “It’s not like Teekeeus is going to know.”

“He might not notice, but the other members might notice her lack of skill.”

Trish heard another set of footsteps while the two blonds were bickering. She conjured a dagger. Nobody was in front of her, but Trish knew something was off. She noticed a shape moving that blended with the background just slightly. The High Elf charged toward the vampire, thrusting her dagger upwards. Once she hit the vampire, the invisibility wore off, revealing a Redguard dressed in leather. The man had two daggers.

“Bitch!” he yelled, slicing the right side of Trish’s cheeks. At least that managed to get the two to stop talking. The pinkette used the staff Giorno gave her and instantly incinerated him.

“Trish!” the blonds both yelled.

“Are you alright?” Fugo asked.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing,” the High Elf lied. Nobody had ever cut her before, and the wound bled.

“Here, let me heal that,” Giorno said, placing a hand on her cheek and healing it. Luckily, the light beside him died out, hiding her blushed face. “Oh, sorry about that. How are you now?”

“Fine, let’s move.”

“How about I light a torch instead,” Fugo said. “We’re going to need a reliable source of light.”

Trish stared into the hallway, spotting a chandelier with white crystals, brightening the room a little. “That won’t be necessary, but I’ll let you know if I do.”

In the next room was a chamber with a bridge. Down below was nothing but space and rats. The bridge brought them to some stairs and a platform with a Varla stone with a hallway behind it. They couldn’t reach it. They went down the stairs, where they fought off some rats. Well, Trish fought them off with her conjured dagger.

“This isn’t so bad,” she commented. “This is surprisingly fun. Oh, but now my clothes are covered in blood. Disgusting!”

“I’m sure you have some spare clothes in your bags,” Fugo said.

“I do. Anyways, this can’t be all of them.” She then looked under the bridge, which led somewhere deeper down. “Everyone, down here!” she whispered.

They followed behind her. The tunnel of stairs led them to a small room containing a vampire, an Imperial in robes. She looked upset and stared into the dying fire. Whatever the reason why she was upset did not matter. Trish crouched down and slowly approached her. Before she could conjure her dagger, the vampire must’ve heard her footsteps and turned around. Terrified of being hit, she used the staff again, killing the vampire. The fire died out.

“This sucks!” she whined. “Couldn’t I summon a bow or perhaps some help? Do I have to do this on my own?”

“Giorno, come on, you know this will take a while with Trish’s skill level.”

“I suppose if it looks like you’re struggling, I guess we could help.”

“We’re talking about a nest of vampires here. Who knows how many there are,” Fugo said.

“The platform we couldn’t reach before,” Trish mentioned. “Does the button on the stone table do anything?”

“Let's find out,” said Fugo, who pressed the button. They heard stones scrapping.

They head back up to see what has changed. The stone steps connecting to the bridge were gone, but they could now reach the Varla stone. Before they could continue down the hallways, an orc in heavy armor approached them. He wore iron armor and held an iron warhammer.

“Faldindil, what’s the meaning of—who are you people?” the Orc demanded. “Bah, it doesn't matter. You’re all going to die!”

Trish trembled in her place. Fugo managed to protect her by setting the Orc on fire with a spell. He turned to ash instantly.

“Hey, Trish, could you try conjuring something besides a dagger? I know you can conjure some armor.”

“Sorry, this is all so intimidating.” She conjured the bound armor. “It doesn’t feel heavy. How do I look?”

“Probably scary to some people,” Fugo replied. “Doubt you’ll scare off the vampires, though. I don’t think anything can scare them other than the sun.”

She looked at the bound gauntlets. They were Daedric. “Are the weapons and armor Daedric?”

“Yes, you didn’t notice?” Giorno said. “We should hurry before the spell wears off.”

Trish never got the chance to examine her bound dagger. She will once she gets into combat.

After minutes of fighting ill-equipped vampires, they cleared the lair. Each fight was mediocre and not worth mentioning. As for the treasure locked away in chests, Giorno managed to open them. Once the ruins were devoid of undead life, they left and began walking back to Chorrol. The sun was setting.

“Hey, Giorno, you’re an expert at alteration,” Fugo said. “Couldn’t you open the locks with a spell?”

“I could, but I’m used to using lockpicks,” he replied.

“How do you know how to open a chest with lockpicks? Where did you even get them in the first place?”

“A friend gave me them.”

“What kind of friends do you have?”

“Guys, we’re here.” Trish grabbed their attention. “Giorno, didn’t you have something to do here? How about you deal with your problem? If you need us, we’ll be outside the guild hall.”

“Yes, I’ve almost completely forgotten. Oh, and before the shops close, here.” Giorno handed some herbs to Fugo.

“What’s this for?”

“To make potions. You are a master of alchemy.”

“I’ll see what I can make.”

The three entered the city. Trish went inside the guild hall while Fugo waited outside. As for Giorno, he used the clairvoyance spell, checking to see if anything had changed. Nothing has. The path led to the chapel—probably for the entire time—and southwest. He went to the chapel to investigate.

Inside there were pews, stained-glass windows, and an altar. Some priests were walking about, but one in dark blue robes was sitting down, praying. He was a Redguard. His hair was short with some shaved lines and white. Once the man turned his face around to face Giorno, he got a good look at his face. A thin zig-zag line of white hair connected to his eyebrows. The same for his beard. What a strange-looking priest, Giorno thought.

“You look just like him,” the Redguard said.

“Excuse me?”

“Like Dio. You look just like him.”

“Who? Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, and just from looking at you, I know you’re his son.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s in Skingrad—or near it. He didn’t tell me where. You’ll find him.”

“I can. The clairvoyance spell led me to him, but the spell also led me here.” He cast the spell again. “It’s leading me to the undercroft.”

“Don’t bother. I know where it’s leading you to. That’s just his dead brother.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Enrico Pucci.”

“Why do you know so much?”

“Because your father is my best friend.”

The chapel bell rang. It was 6 PM.

“I must go and eat,” Pucci said. “Perhaps you should try finding your father.”

Pucci went downstairs to one of the rooms. Giorno would try to talk to him some more, but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed. Maybe he should head to Skingrad, but it was getting dark. He walked out and returned to Fugo and Trish, where they stood outside the guildhall.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Trish asked.

“I don’t know. I still have some questions, but we’ll have to continue our journey. It’s getting too dark to travel, however. Trish, we should rent a room.”

“I’ll pay for it,” Fugo said. “I got plenty of money.”

There were two inns they could’ve rested at, but Fugo went inside the Oak and Crosier. Inside the inn, a Khajiit woman in a blue velvet dress tended the bar. Behind her was an unlit fireplace, and beside the bar was the area where people dined.

The woman behind the counter was named Talasma. Fugo rented two rooms for 20 Septims.

Before they headed to their rooms, they sat at a table and brought their dinner. Trish had some mudcrab corn fritters and some alto wine. Fugo had some salmon and some tonic. Meanwhile, Giorno was eating some Sun Height’s pudding and drinking some rose herbal tea that he warmed up with magic.

“Fugo, I noticed you rented two rooms,” Giorno said. “Why didn’t you get three separate rooms?”

“Trish and I belong together.”

There was nothing left to discuss. The three went upstairs to go to their rooms and rested.

Lonely Day - Chapter 1: The Kill

Trish, a High Elf with pink hair who had on a red velvet dress, gazed into the clouds and couldn’t help but feel like the weather was telling a sign. The clouds were getting darker, and the temperature was getting colder. The winds howled. Trish tried to get closer to Fugo, the blond Imperial who wore a green brocade doublet with matching green pants. Although High Elves were taller than other races, Trish was smaller when compared.

“You know, I think you two would make a great couple,” said the blond Wood Elf with hair in the shape of an onion.

They are a couple, but the Wood Elf ruined the moment. Trish moved away from Fugo.

“How about you shut up?” demanded Fugo.

“I’m helping, aren’t I?”

Fugo stopped walking, turned around, looked directly into his eyes, and said, “You tell me.”

Trish stopped as well to look at the argument.

“I-I see that I haven’t been thinking of better ideas. I’ll—“

“Quiet!” Fugo yelled.

Trish hugged herself and continued walking toward Bruma. The blond Imperial got closer to her and whispered, “I’m tired of this guy. Hopefully, we won’t see him tomorrow.”

She sighed. Her mother warned her about him. The two never went to the arena to watch fights, but Trish was bored that time. She expected the Grand Champion to be buff, muscular, and exotic, not some lean Imperial. Before the match started, she saw him applying green liquid to his blade. It had to be poison because there was no way he could fall three minotaurs. Mid-fight, Fugo looked directly at her, and she at him. He was distracted until a minotaur punched him. That was when he dropped his weapon and gave it a barrage of punches. In the end, he won the fight, but they managed to speak after he healed.

“Fugo, please,” she whispered.

“Believe me, he’ll be gone by tonight. Just wait.”

She wondered how the Wood Elf would go away. She couldn’t help but feel like Fugo was hiding something about himself she didn’t know. She looked at the sky once more. A blizzard was coming. They better hurry.

-

Within a few long minutes, they arrived in Bruma.

“Well, I’ll be at the Mages’ Guild. Wish me luck!” Trish said before leaving.

She hated leaving those two alone with each other, but she could feel the tension between them. It felt as if Fugo wanted the Wood Elf to die. Whether that was true or not, she couldn’t do anything. For now, Trish focused on finding a healer and hoped they would assist her in something else.

The Mages’ Guild wasn’t hard to find, despite most of the buildings looking like cabins. She went inside and nobody was there except for a Khajiit in tan robes and a blond Breton in pink. She felt drawn to the blond and approached him.

“Excuse me,” she said, “could you help me with something personal?”

“Sure,” he said, “so long as it’s not a recommendation. We’re remodeling this guildhall.”

Trish didn’t pay attention when she entered. She then examined the room. It was bare, and there were ashes on the ground. She found it odd that there weren’t any books on the bookshelves.

The blond got closer to her ear and whispered, “Don’t ask what happened. J’skar was the sole survivor here. I’d rather not see him retraumatized.” He stopped whispering. “I’m Giorno Giovanna, by the way. How may I help you?”

“Could you help me find my father?” she asked. “I’m Trish Una.”

J’skar went somewhere else to give them alone time.

“Your father? You or I could try casting clairvoyance. It’s a simple spell. I could teach it to you for free.”

“Please teach me. Could I teach it to my mother?”

“Yes, I suppose you could if you can cast it. This spell is a passive spell, a spell you cast on yourself. You must also know what you’re searching for. A physical object might help, assuming your father took something.”

“I have never seen my father in my whole life. If he had taken something, I wouldn’t have known. I assume I’m looking for someone who looks like me.”

Trish then waited for Giorno to say something, but he seemed focused on something else. She cleared her throat to grab his attention.

“Sorry, I was thinking about something,” he said. “Once you cast the spell, you should see a blue mist guiding you. Now, cast it. I won’t be able to see it, but you should.”

Trish cast the spell, but nothing happened. She tried again and got the same results.

“Judging from your face, it seems as if you failed,” Giorno commented. “It’s a fairly simple spell. It should’ve worked. Maybe you’re casting it wrong. Give me a second.” He grabbed an apple from his pocket. “Try tracking this apple. Now close your eyes and count to ten.”

Trish did as he told her. Judging by the footsteps she heard, Giorno hid somewhere. Trish cast clairvoyance again, and the blue mist appeared, leading her upstairs where Giorno hid. However, she noticed this room had the most damage. Some bloodstains have not faded away entirely.

“So it worked,” the blond commented. “How strange. The clairvoyance spell should be able to find your dad. Unless—sorry to be grim—he’s dead. Even then, the spell should work. I don’t understand.”

“Of course.” Trish sighed. “My mother tried the same idea, but nothing came of it. Of course, it doesn’t work!”

Giorno tried to comfort her. “I’m not sure why it won’t work. Let me try.” He tried and got the same result as her—nothing. “You’re right.”

“Giorno, that’s your name, right? I’m curious, could you find missing people? I know people go missing all the time. Maybe clairvoyance is a useless spell. There wouldn’t be anything missing people if that spell worked.”

“No, most people are against using magic for whatever reason, which is why you hardly see mages solving missing people cases.”

“Thanks for trying,” Trish said. “I also have one last thing to ask you. Could you teach me how to cure diseases?”

“That’s a level above apprentice skill. Are you sure you can cast it?”

“No, I can’t. With some practice, I could try.”

“Perhaps you could try joining us.”

“Could you cast the spell?” Trish asked. “I might join, but can you come to the Imperial City with me, please?”

“Sure, I’ll join you. I must return to the Mages’ Guild in the Imperial City.”

“Oh, there’s one more thing. I have someone traveling with us. He won’t be back until tomorrow. Since this place is in a wreck, maybe I could help. You see those drapes with the scorched marks. Hideous even before they got burnt. I can help remodel and decorate. While I’m at it, could you teach me a few spells?”

-

Fugo returned to Bruma in the morning alone. He headed to the Mages’ Guild, assuming Trish was still there. As he thought, she was there, but she was chatting with a blond guy, smiling and laughing. The man she was talking to stared at him.

“Wow, we’re getting new people coming in,” the blond commented with a smile. “Greetings and—wait, I know you.” His smile was gone, but his reaction told him he was surprised.

Fugo’s hands shaped into a fist, but he didn’t know it. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know you. Trish, who is this?”

“That’s Giorno Giovanna,” she answered. “He’s coming with us to the Imperial City to cure mother.”

“You know I can cure her, too, right? I can supply you with potions.”

“Do you have the ingredients?”

“I— No, I was thinking—”

“There’s a chance you could accidentally put something poisonous in the ingredients,” Giorno butted in.

“Hey, no one asked you!” Fugo responded. “Come on, let’s go. The Wood Elf won’t bother us anymore.”

Trish could already tell that Fugo and Giorno weren’t going to get along. She walked ahead of them, making the journey back to the Imperial City. She wasn’t sure why Fugo became aggressive towards Giorno, but she needed the Breton.

-

While traveling down the Silver Road and the Red Ring Road, she noticed how quiet they were. She also noted that no bandits had ambushed them. For once, they get to admire the grassy meadows and trees.

“I haven’t seen a bandit attack us,” Trish said.

“We are on the Red Ring Road, nearing the Imperial City,” Fugo replied.

“There might also be another reason why,” Giorno added. “Have you guys heard of an increase in vampire attacks recently?” The two of them looked at him and said no. “Arch-Mage Avdol—”

“Wait,” Fugo interrupted, “what happened to Hannibal Traven?”

“Died by suicide. As I was saying, Arch-Mage Avdol warned us about traveling on the roads at night. Master-Wizard Will Zeppeli is in a group with a bunch of vampire hunters. He has this under control.”

“Don’t tell me this vampire group he’s in is called the Order of the Virtuous Blood,” Fugo continued chatting.

“Yes, but I’m not a part of that group.”

“Will does not have it under control. So, Giorno, right? What’s your rank?”

“I’m a conjurer.”

“I was a magician when I left. I’m not returning, by the way. Besides, I don’t think I’m welcome there. But enough about me, what’s so special about you?”

“I’m an expert at restoration and alteration and a master at mysticism. What about you?”

“I’m skilled in alchemy and an expert at destruction.”

“Would you say you have a mastery in alchemy? Why didn’t Trish ask you to cure her mother?”

Trish could feel Fugo’s anger, and it worried her. Then she felt his eyes on her.

“That is a good question. Why didn’t you ask me?”

“I didn’t know,” she answered. “I didn’t know that you were once a part of the Mages’ Guild. Why did you leave?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

Trish then looked to Giorno, hoping to get an answer.

“I don’t know the reason behind it,” the Breton said. “Perhaps it would be best if we didn't talk about it.”

“Agreed,” the Imperial commented.

Once more, the party of three was quiet, even in Trish’s home in the Elven Gardens District.

Trish opened the window in her room and stuck her head out. There was a slight breeze in the air. She took a whiff. It stinks.

“Trish.” Giorno grabbed her attention.

She stepped away from the window and closed it, looking at him. “Did you cure her?”

He nodded and sat down on a wooden chair. Trish then sat down on her bed. “Thank you, but do you know what caused it? Did she tell you?”

“She might have caught an airborne disease when talking to someone. She was looking for somebody—”

“Father,” she interrupted. “She was looking for my father. This ridiculous search for him is going to drive her to her grave. Maybe I should stop looking for him too. She doesn’t remember his name or his appearance. That must sound pretty odd.”

“We’re alike.” Giorno tried to comfort her. “I don’t know if my mother remembers anything about my father. I’d rather not talk to her, but your search made me curious about my father. While on the road, I cast the clairvoyance spell to find my father, but the mist split into two paths.”

“That’s weird. Maybe you have two biological fathers?”

“Is that even possible? Anyways, the mist led to Chorrol and somewhere up north. Trish, are you still going to find your father? If so, maybe I could try looking for mine as well.”

“Well, I guess I am still curious. If I ever do find my father, I’m not sure what I would do.”

“Same.”

It was quiet for some time until Giorno spoke. “The guild hasn’t requested me for any task, so I have some time to tag along. What about Fugo?”

“He always tags along with me. Speaking of him, I should tell him of my plans tomorrow. Does leaving around lunch tomorrow sound okay? Let’s meet up at the Arena.”

“Yes, that will do. Goodbye, and take care.”

Giorno got up and left.

-

Fugo sat on the couch. Judging from the geometric details of the cushion, it was of Redguard design. He looked around the room, trying to pass the time. There were some bookshelves. Although, there were pots and small sculptures occupying the shelves, and none of the books caught his attention. Still sitting on the couch, he looked out the window. Nothing much was going on. People waved, hugged, or greeted each other and left. He was about to get up and ask what was taking so long until Giorno descended the stairs and left. Trish went down the stairs as well.

“So,” Fugo spoke to Trish, “are you still planning to join the Mages’ Guild? I won’t stop you.”

“Yeah, and Giorno wants to come,” Trish answered.

“Why?”

“He’s also looking for someone.”

“Why doesn’t he just look for that person right now?”

“He said the clairvoyance spell split into different directions. He’s trying to find one person.”

“Perhaps that person is dead. Maybe his body got split up and separated.”

“I don’t know. He said the path led to Chorrol and somewhere up north.”

“I hope it’s not Skyrim. I don’t want to go to Skyrim.”

“Anyways, we have to leave tomorrow after lunch. Come, let’s head to bed.”

The Sims 4 | Chilling

Cute Fox

 

Just Two Dudes Having a Sleepover

It was around 11 AM, and Kakyoin sat alone in his bedroom. There wasn’t much to do. He heard some kids outside his house talking about a sleepover and had an idea. He rushed to the phone in the kitchen and dialed Jotaro.

“Who is this?”Jotaro asked.

“This is Kakyoin. Are you up to anything?”

“I was doing some reading. What about you?”

“Just sitting in my room, doing nothing.”

“Sounds incredibly boring. Want to come over to my house?”

“I was thinking about a sleepover. Is that fine?”

“A sleepover? Sure. In my house or yours?”

“In your house. There’s nothing much to do here. What time should I come over?”

“You can come now, but I was just making some pizza.”

“I’ll bring my stuff over. See you soon.”

-

Since the two lived close, Kakyoin simply walked to his house and rang the doorbell. Jotaro greeted him at the door. The redhead could see him smile just a little.

“Come on in,” Jotaro said.

“Thank you! Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve been to your house. Where’s Holy?”

“I told my mother to go hang out with her friends. Anyways, want to see what’s on TV?”

“Sure.”

The two went into the living room. Before Jotaro could turn on the TV for him, Kakyoin eyed the NES on top of the TV stand, next to the VHS player.

“Got any games?” he asked.

“Just that one baseball and F-Mega.”

“That’s it?” Kakyoin slightly frowned. After that fight with the gamer stand user, he lost interest in playing F-Mega, and he’d rather watch a baseball game than play a game about one. “You don’t have Pac-Man or Super Mario Bros?”

“I’m not into video games that much. You sure you don’t want to play baseball?”

“No, that’s fine. Besides, I have to prepare the pizza. That reminds me, do you want anything on the pizza?”

“I’ll just have cheese, thanks.”

Kakyoin sat on the sofa and turned on the TV with the remote. Baseball was on, and the Yomiuri Giants were playing against the Yakult Swallows. It seems the Yomiuri Giants were winning, Kakyoin’s favorite team. That kept him occupied while Jotaro was making the pizza.

When Jotaro returned to the living room with two plates of pizza, with his stand carrying two sodas, it was already 12:40 PM. He expected Kakyoin to doze off sleeping, but he was wide awake and paying attention to the baseball game. That is until there was a commercial break.

“I hate commercials,” Jotaro said. “Oh, I brought you some pizza. I’m not sure how many you wanted, so I got two. Oh, and I got you a cherry coke. Don’t eat the pizza yet. It’s still hot. Give it a few minutes for it to cool down. Anyways, want to watch a movie?”

“Sure, what movies do you have?” Kakyoin asked.

“We got a couple, but I was hoping maybe we could watch Never Cry Wolf.”

“I never watched it before. What’s it about?”

“Tyler, a biologist, goes to Canada and lives in the wild to study why the caribou population is dying. I could tell you more, but I don’t want to spoil the movie. It’s one of my favorite movies, you know. I was thinking about being a biologist just like Tyler. What about you, Kakyoin?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe a painter.” He looked at the NES. “Or maybe a game designer.”

“Why not both?”

“Hmm, yeah. Can we watch the movie now?”

“Sure.”

Jotaro put his plate on the coffee table and walked to the TV stand, searching the cabinets. He found the video cassette, put it in the VHS player, and sat back down.

-

The movie lasted for an hour and 45 minutes. By then, Kakyoin and Jotaro had finished their pizza.

“Thank goodness I ate my pizza before I saw him eat the rats,” Kakyoin commented.

“Those were mice. Anyways, what did you think of the pizza?” Jotaro asked.

“It was great! I loved the sauce.”

“Good, there’s still more pizza. We could have that for dinner, but if you’re tired of that, we have some eggplant parmesan.”

“I never had that before.”

“You should try it once you get hungry. So, what do you want to do?”

Kakyoin thought for a few seconds. “How about we talk about things? Let’s talk about Avdol and Polnareff. What do you think they’re doing right now?”

“It would be 8 AM where they are. They’re probably eating breakfast.” Jotaro chuckled. “Polnareff is probably taking a shit as we speak.”

“Yeah, what’s with him having to use the bathroom all the time?”

“I don’t know. Did you ever see him drink coffee? I heard it makes you poop a lot.”

“Yuck! What about Avdol, though? He’s kind of a mystery. I wished we knew a bit about him. He seemed to know so much about everything. He even had more knowledge about stands than I do.”

“I’m not sure what he’s up to or what he might do later in the day, but he’s a fortune teller. I wonder how much money he earns. That can’t be all he does.”

“I doubt Avdol cares about wealth, but I think he cares about romance.”

“What?” Jotaro raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think that?”

“When I was recovering from my eye injuries, I asked him and your grandpa what fights I missed, and the two started blushing. Something must’ve happened between them. I think Avdol has a crush on your grandpa. Were you there when they were fighting anyone?”

“No, I was probably looking for Polnareff. Besides, my grandpa has been happily married to my grandma for years.”

“Oh, right.” Kakyoin was running out of things to talk about, but maybe he could talk about who Jotaro was crushing on. Hopefully, it was him. Before he could speak, his cheeks slightly reddened. “So… since we’re on the topic of romance, who do you have a crush on?”

“I thought it was obvious,” Jotaro replied. “It’s you.”

Kakyoin’s face was flushed. “Really? Why didn’t you say so before?”

“I was nervous to say anything, but do you feel the same way?”

“Y-yeah! Can’t you tell?”

“I see that you’re blushing.”

“I’m not!”

Jotaro smiled. “Yeah, you are. Hey, you got some pizza sauce on your cheek.”

“What? I do?” Kakyoin was about to wipe his face off with his hand until Jotaro pecked him on the cheek. “Ah, w-what are you doing?” He planted another kiss. “You think you can just plant a kiss on me and get away with it?”

Kakyoin returned a kiss to him but on the lips, causing the other to kiss him again. Jotaro toppled over Kakyoin on the couch, tackling him with kisses everywhere, from the neck to the face.

“I love you,” the redheaded teen said, squeezing tightly onto him.

“I love you too.”

Their lips locked together. Kakyoin's hands roamed his muscular back, tugging on his gakuran, while Jotaro tasted his cherry-flavored lips. They kissed for a while, having to part their lips for a few moments as they caught their breaths. Their chest heaved, and their hearts beat fast as they looked directly into each other’s eyes.

“Should we remove our jackets?” Kakyoin asked. “I’m getting hot.”

“Yeah, my mother shouldn’t be home until—”

The doorbell rang. The two teens looked at the clock on the wall, and it was 6:15 PM.

“What? It’s six already!” Kakyoin commented. “How long were we making out?”

Kakyoin could tell that Jotaro was annoyed as Holy entered the living room.

“I’m back!”

“Come on, Kakyoin.” Jotaro got off the couch. “Let’s head to my room.”

“Alright.” He followed him.

They were in Jotaro’s study room. Next to the bookshelf is the door to Jotaro’s bedroom. Kakyoin looked at the bookcase. There were a couple of mangas, but there were also some books about airplanes and ships.

“What are these?” the redhead said, referring to the books.

“Oh, those? Just an interest of mine. You’re into drawing, right?”

“Painting, but what about it?”

“I have some paper in one of the drawers of my desk. Want to draw something?”

“Sure!”

Jotaro took some paper from his desk, handing a couple of sheets to him.

“What do you paint?” Jotaro asked.

“Anything that comes to my mind,” he answered. “Don’t you draw also? I remember the fly drawing. It was the reason why we started our trip to Egypt.”

“It’s not my interest.”

“Give me something to draw. Also, you don’t mind if I sit at your desk, do you?”

“I don’t mind. How about a wolf? Can you draw that?”

Kakyoin sat at the desk and sketched a wolf.

“Wow, that’s cute. How about some conifer trees around it? Maybe some tall shrubs, ferns, and lichen.”

“That was specific. Also, conifer?”

“Pine and fir trees. Wait, there’s a photo of a taiga forest in this book I have.”

Jotaro searched his bookshelf for the book with the image. Once he found it, he placed it on the desk. The photo was of a forest in the winter. A reindeer looked at the person who took the shot.

“Where was this taken?” Kakyoin asked.

“Somewhere in Canada. There’s a more scenic photo on the next page. Want to see it?”

“Sure.”

Jotaro flipped the page over, revealing taiga flora. Kakyoin paid attention to the flowers and shrubs growing in the spring grass. His eyes wandered to the other page that showed a close-up photo of each plant: bog rosemary, fireweed, cloudberry, wild sarsaparilla. He knew what to draw now. It took a while, but he finished it.

“Is it alright if I keep this sketch?” Kakyoin asked. “I might recreate this on a canvas.”

“That’s fine. Just wondering, what will you do once you paint the sketch?”

“Give it to you.”

“How much do I owe you?”

Kakyoin giggled. “You don’t have to pay me. Anyways, what time is it? I’m getting sleepy.”

Jotaro walked to his bedroom door, sliding it open to look at the clock on the nightstand. “9:32. How are you tired?”

“I’m not much of a night owl. Where do you want me to put my sleeping bag?”

“You could sleep with me if you want. I have room for one more.”

“You’ll let me do that?”

“Yes. I love you. I’ll change into my pajamas while you brush your teeth.”

After changing and brushing their teeth, the two lay on the bed, Kakyoin cuddling Jotaro.

“Jotaro,” the redheaded teen said, “are you still awake?”

“Yeah, but I’ll read a book to help me sleep. You don’t mind if I turn on a light, do you?”

“I don’t mind.”

Before sleeping, Jotaro planted a kiss on Kakyoin’s cheek. The redhead fell asleep while the other read a book about jellyfish. He fell asleep a few minutes afterward, cuddling with Kakyoin.

Daisies and Roses

Jotaro held a bunch of daisies in his hand and stood outside the door of Kakyoin’s home, ringing the doorbell. The daisies fit into his pockets, so he placed them there in case one of Kakyoin’s parents opened the door. And one of them did open the door. It was his mother. She had the same hair color as Kakyoin. Thank goodness he didn’t bring a bouquet of roses; that would’ve been strange to explain and difficult to hide.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Jotaro Kujo.”

“Ah, my son’s friend. He’s talked a lot about you. Could you wait right here a minute?”

“Sure.”

She closed the door and then opened it a few minutes later.

“He’s currently working on a painting, but you can go into his room. Go down the hallway, the first door on the right.”

“Thanks.”

Jotaro went inside Kakyoin’s room, where he was painting. His room was spacious, and his painting decorated the walls. Whatever Kakyoin was currently working on, he couldn’t tell. His body was blocking the way.

“Impressive artwork,” Jotaro commented, causing the redhead to turn around. “Oh, and these are for you.”

He took the daisies out of his pockets and handed them to him.

“Oh, thank you! They’re a little warm.” Kakyoin placed the flowers down on the table next to his bed. Jotaro could see the painting, but it was currently a rough sketch of two people. “Do you know what these flowers mean?”

Jotaro had no clue. “Do you?”

“In Norse mythology, a daisy symbolized motherhood. Then people associated it with love. In Celtic mythology, its symbolism is sad. Daisies cheered mourning parents when their child died.”

Jotaro was silent for a few minutes, thinking about their trip to Egypt. Kakyoin did almost die.

“And judging from their color,” Kakyoin continued, “it represents innocence and purity. You usually see them in wedding bouquets.”

“Wow, you know a lot about flowers.”

“Not really. I’m just an artist who uses symbolism in paintings. Since we’re talking about flowers, could you buy me some roses? Um, they’re for a painting. There’s a flower shop nearby within walking distance.”

“Sure, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

-

Jotaro went to the flower shop and got the roses. He rang the doorbell again, and Kakyoin’s mother opened the door.

“Welcome back! You have roses?” she said.

“Yeah, they’re for his painting.”

He returned to Kakyoin’s room, where he was still working on his artwork.

“Kakyoin, I bought you the roses,” he said, handing them to him.

The redhead blushed. “Ah, thanks.”

The two stood still for a while.

“So, um, are you going to place those flowers somewhere? Should I get a vase?” Jotaro asked.

“No, no! It’s fine. Thank you.”

“Those roses weren’t for the painting, were they?”

Kakyoin’s cheeks turned pink. “No, if I’d known my mother would’ve been at the door and you were going to bring me flowers, I would’ve opened the door.”

“Yeah, I thought about bringing roses, then I’d have to explain to your mother why.”

“Anyways,” Kakyoin said, placing the roses next to the daisies, “thank you. Sorry for making you go out to get roses.”

The redhead got on his tippy-toes and kissed his lips. Jotaro wrapped his arms around his slim body.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too.”

A Rare Catch

Jotaro was out at sea, studying the local jellyfish population instead of enjoying the warm, pleasant sunny day. The waters were calm, too, so the boat didn’t rock as much. There has been an increase of Nomura’s jellyfish near the coast of Japan, and he had to study what was causing the sudden population increase.

Jotaro reeled the net in, catching some of the jellyfish he was researching and other sea life.

“Let me go!” he heard a voice from the net.

“Hello?” Jotaro called out. “Are you in the net?”

“Where else would I be?”

“Don’t tell me you came from the sea,” he replied.

“Of course, I came from the sea. Now can you place me back?”

“Hold on. I can release my catch. I need to put it in the boat. I’ll put you back in the water as soon as possible.”

Jotaro controlled the crane, placing the net gently on the deck. There was a pile of jellyfish, some other fish, and a—and Jotaro could not believe this—mermaid, a handsome one too. He was a redhead and had dark blue eyes.

“Wow,” the mermaid said, blushing at him. “I mean, are you going to let me go?”

“Sure, let me put on my gloves so I can move the other fish around.”

“Could you also throw the other species back into the ocean? I have been seeing fewer of these types of fish swimming around.” The redhead pointed at the bluefin tuna and swordfish.

“Sure, just those?” Jotaro needed to name what species of fish he caught along with the jellyfish.

“Yes.”

The two of them tossed out the overfished fish species.

“So,” Jotaro spoke first, “who are you?”

“Noriaki Kakyoin. And you are?”

“Jotaro Kujo. Why were you near my boat?”

“I wanted to know humans a bit more. Others of my kind say they’re cruel and hideous, but you’re handsome.” He noticed Jotaro blushed despite his neutral expression. “And you seem nice. You threw the endangered fish into the water.”

“Do you want to go back into the water?”

“Sure.”

Jotaro moved the jellyfish aside and carried Kakyoin.

“Wow, you’re strong,” Kakyoin commented.

“And you’re surprisingly light.”

Jotaro was about to throw him into the water.

“Wait!” Kakyoin said. The question he was going to ask made him blush. “Do you want to kiss before we go?”

“In stories, isn’t the mermaid supposed to seduce the human?”

“Is that a no?”

Jotaro kissed his lips briefly. When he withdrew his lips, Kakyoin’s face was red.

“I don’t want to leave you!” the mermaid said.

“Don’t you need to be in the water?”

“Yeah, but will we see each other again?”

“I’m a marine biologist. Yeah, we’ll see each other again.”

Jotaro tossed him into the water.

“I’ll miss you!” Kakyoin said.

“We’ll see each other tomorrow. I have to check on the spider crabs.”

The marine biologist sailed away, and Kakyoin swam deep into the sea.