Thea's Reprise

Chapter 7: Rose

Third person

After a few minutes of Ronin walking and Kris following not so close behind, Ronin made his way to a window. Kris, snacking on the chips, saw Ronin stop and walked over to him.

"Why'd you stop?"

"Just admirin' the view."

Kris looked at him, then the window. She didn't know why, but the view calmed her down. Based on the angle they were at, she assumed they were inside Tantu's walls. Feeling a little more comfortable now, she decided to ask a question,"How did the city get so big anyway?". Ronin sighed,"Well, Rose is an ambitious woman. It was 200 when I got here, now we're about to hit the big 5 triple 0". Kris looked out at the window, in awe at the city. A silence filled the air, until Ronin smirked.

"Y'know, the average human city was in the hundred millions..."

"What?!"

Ronin laughed,"I'm kiddin', I'm kiddin'. But they would call this place small.". Kris looked at him, dumbfounded. He chuckled and snapped his fingers,"Anyways, we've got someone to meet. You finish those chips?" he asked. Kris looked at the bag and froze.

"..."

"Somethin' wrong?"

She showed him the bag, showing that not even a crumb remained. Ronin laughed, "don't laugh!" Kris responded, annoyed. Ronin put his hands up and apologized, "Sorry sorry, I just didn't expect you to eat a bag that big so fast..". Kris crossed her arms, "Whatever..Are we seeing rose or not?" "Right, we still gotta get you processed 'n all. It's a quick elevator ride to the top of the tree, shouldn't take too long. We tend to do this type of stuff in groups, but since yer with me, we get to bend the rules a bit."

"Lucky me."

"Lucky you.."

After a few minutes, the duo had made it to Rose's office. Kris walked out of the elevator and looked around, noticing dim lighting that complimented the burgundy carpet and brown walls. There was a desk in the center, and bookshelves adorned the walls in a symmetrical pattern. A few windows lined the spaces where bookshelves weren't present, and in the other open spaces rested various framed weapons. Kris's eyes widened and she ran over to the shelves. Ronin walked out in confusion.

"What's the matter?".

"How does she have so many bookshelves?!"

"...I'm not quite followin', kiddo."

"My village only had one, but her room has more than I can count!"

Kris beamed as she looked at the shelves, completely in awe. Ronin walked over to her, "Now hold on just a minute. Are ya tellin' me ya never seen a library before?". Kris turned around in confusion, "...What's a library? Is that another city thing you think everyone knows?". She said in annoyance. Ronin's eyes widened and he walked forward.

"You're a reader?" A woman's voice filled the room.

Kris's eyes widened and she turned towards the sound, instinctively reaching for her daggers and freezing when she realized they were gone. 'I gave them to Indigo...fuck.'. The wonder and curiosity in her demeanor immediately turned into focus as she went on guard. The back wall split in half and opened, revealing a tall woman with wavy ginger hair, her eyes were red onyx, matching the deep color of the carpet. The wall closed and the woman put her hands on her hips,"If you are, you'll get two points from me.". The lady smirked.

"Who is..."

"Now that would be rose." Ronin answered

Rose walked up to Kris, towering over her with an indifferent expression. She didn't know why, but as she looked up at the woman, a huge wave of unease rushed above her. This was different from how she felt around Chloe, this was fear.  She shuddered and backed up slowly, subconsciously reaching for her daggers, hoping they'd magically appear in their holsters. Rose looked up and turned to Ronin, "So this is, what? Number 4?" She asked. Ronin nodded, "She's an interestin' one. I'll promise ya that.". "Your finds usually are, what's your quirk?". She asked, turning her attention to Kris. "I- I'm- what?". Kris stuttered, still terrified. "Your gimmick, every one of Ronin's guests had one." She explained, "Indigo's a charged radiant, Chloe had been leading a small camp of children her age before Ronin found her. What about you?". Kris tensed up. "I.." What was special about her? Being alone for so long, she had no idea what was special and what wasn't. There wasn't anybody she could compare herself to.

As she stammered, Ronin spoke up for her, "She took out a Paratana. All by her lonesome..". Rose looked up at Ronin, seeing him leaned against her desk with his arms crossed. "I'm sorry?". "Ain't stutter, Rose. She killed a 'tana.". Rose turned to Kris with intrigue, "I see...Is this true?". Kris nodded. She crossed her arms, looking down and noticing Kris's empty holsters before she smirked. "Ronin, could you leave us?". Ronin paused at the suggestion, but ultimately sighed and shrugged, "...If that's what ya want. I'll be at Indi's kiddo.". He got off the desk and started to walk. Kris, being unable to talk properly, couldn't find the words ask Ronin to stay this time. He got into the elevator and left. In response, she began to become more and more panicked. She turned back to Rose, who was next to one of the framed weapons. "I want you to show me."

"Huh?"

"Show me the strength you used to take out a paratana. I want to see it"

Kris gulped as she clenched her fists, "I-I...How?". Rose pulled two wakizashi from the frame "Simple. You use daggers, right?". Kris nodded, "I- um. Yeah..." Rose looked at the blades in her hands and tossed them to her. Kris caught the swords and examined them, they were bigger than her old daggers, but the weight distribution wasn't too off, "I assume using these will be of no difficulty?" Kris looked up in confusion, seeing that Rose wasn't there anymore. She frantically looked around, seeing rose behind her next to a framed spear. "What will I be using these for...?"

"Have you met chloe?" Rose asked, ignoring Kris's question

"Yes...?" Kris responded

"Has she tried to recruit you?"

"I um...she did."

"Hm." Rose took the spear off the wall, inspecting its design. "What did you say?"

"I didn't answer," Kris said, still holding the swords in her hand. Rose turned her head to Kris,"And why is that?" She asked. Kris looked around, "I...Um. I didn't really get what being a 'scavenger' meant. So I didn't wanna sign up for something I didn't know about..". Rose nodded,"Smart. Would you like to know what we do?". Kris thought to herself, trying to keep her face neutral. It would make sense for her to ask, she did want to know, but what was going on here? She nodded."If it's not too much to ask...". Rose smiled,"Of course not." She stabbed the spear into the ground and leaned on it with her arm. "The name is slightly misleading. We scavenge for food, yes, but we also do much more. We gather materials, explore ruins, rescue survivors, and survey the status of other cities.". 

Kris's eyes widened, "You...explore?". 

Her mind immediately shifted to the thought of her parents. If she joined this group, could she find them? She didn't know if her mother was alive, but her father. Her thoughts shifted to a memory of a cloaked figure leaving with a group of cloaked men behind him. A younger version of Kris sat on a bed with her sickly mother. She cried out to him, yet he didn't look back. She tried to get up, but her mother grabbed her, her voice ringing as an amalgam of longing and fatigue.

"I can't lose you too..."

A look of intrigue crossed Rose's face. "You seem intrigued at the thought of exploration. Is there something you have in mind?". Kris snapped out of it, stammering,"U-Um...No! Not at all. But I think I'll take Chloe up on her offer." She said with a nervous smile. Rose picked up the spear,"Not so fast, I can't just authorize your stay and scavenger status without insight on your motivation. That's not how things work.". Kris began to clench her blades, "I-I promise it's nothing, I just like exploration is all...!". She said, hoping Rose would give up her attempt to pry. Rose sighed and nodded,"Alright, you can tell me later.". Kris breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her guard, "Alright, so how do i-".

She blinked, Rose was gone.

"Huh?"

Kris looked around, frantic once again. As she looked behind her, Rose had her spear reeled back, seconds away from striking.

"Time to see if Ronin was right..."