Small Differences - Chapter 9 (OLD)

l	Like a switch had flipped in the adolescent human's head, he remembered the ribbon in his inventory. With a mischievous smirk, he turns to Susie, who return the look on his face with a muted bewilderment.

	"Why are you looking at me like that, creep!?"
	"...Ralsei and I found some extra armor earlier. It's supposed to really 'soften the blow' from your enemy's attacks."
	"Oh. Sweet."
	"And when I saw it..." Kris rummages through his inventory. "It made me think of you."
	"....Very funny, nerd. I'm not wearing it."
	"Come ooonnn.....if you look cute, they might not hit you as hard!"
	"I SAID I'M NOT WEARING IT! Besides, I ain't in first grade anymore..."
	Those last words almost slipped by in Kris' mind, but it wasn't very long before the gears in his head started turning, causing Kris to snicker and chuckle, almost intensifying into a full-blown laughing fit when he fully realized what Susie had just said. Ralsei didn't understand what was so funny, but smiled regardless.

	"What the hell's so funny!? Why are you acting so fucking weird all the sudden!?"
	"Heh...haha...you mean to tell me...hah...that you wore a cute little ribbon in elementary school??"

	Susie immediately froze. If wasn't for her hair, the two other heroes would have seen her eyes wide with intense anger.

	"*Alright, that's enough, Kris. She already threatened violence ONCE this morning."

	"Wh-wha- NO! SHUT UP!"
	"Uh...Kris...Susie...." Ralsei attempted to calm tensions between the two classmates to no avail.
	"It's alright, Susie." Kris responded with a wide, toothy grin. "I won't tell any-"

	In one swift motion, Susie snatched Kris by the collar like she did before, but with much more passion this time.
	"I SAID SHUT UP!" the angry dragon snarled.
	"SUSIE! PUT HIM DOWN!" the fluffy prince commanded.

	"*....Really dude? Again?"

	Ralsei's voice was devoid of his usual child-like wonder and glee. Even though he had lacking experience as a leader, his voice seemed to carry authority. His eyes were focused and completely serious. Through all of this, Kris never stopped smiling. He had a gut feeling that if Susie didn't commit before, she wouldn't now, especially since there was much more to lose if he died by Susie's hand, which he decided to make very clear.

	"Hey, I'm the only one who can seal the fountain, right?" His smirk only grew smugger, yet smugger with every word.
	"That's right, Susie! If you hurt him...Uh...Just...P-please don't do anything you might regret, Susie..." Ralsei began to stumble over his words, losing the assertiveness he just had.
	"Fine...."

	With a huff, the draconic monster dropped the human onto the soft, fuzzy ground. Ralsei stared at Susie for several moments with a serious yet worried look as he helped Kris to his feet, as if he suspected something was wrong with her.

	"*That's twice that you haven't listened to me while dealing with Susie. What's your deal? What's going on in that head of yours? I can hear your words, but it's already been established between us that I can't read minds."

	"Susie, we shouldn't be fighting like this...We're supposed to be a team..."
	"Whatever. I wasn't ACTUALLY gonna hurt him. He just needed to learn his place." Susie retorted with an insincere smile.
	"...You okay, Kris?"
	"...I'm alright. Wanna check this shop out? I got like....almost three hundred bucks."
	"Damn, dude, you're stacked. Maybe you can buy me some food as a peace offering."

	"*That doesn't seem like a bad idea."

	Kris leads both of his allies into the shop. Inside, a large, patchy, toy-like cat greeted them with one eye replaced with a large button and painful looking rip.

	"Hee hee...welcome, travelers."
	"...You selling any food?"
	"Of course...I have dark candy, and darkburgers."
	"Darkburgers, huh?" Susie said with one hidden eyebrow raised.
	"Yes, they're quite tasty... Made 'em myself."
	"...So how much you want for one?" Kris asked.
	"Seventy dark dollars."
	"Hah! So much for being stacked!" Susie yelled.
	With a small sigh, Kris ordered one darkburger for his apparent not-friend. As he handed the burger to her, she threw it into the air and caught it in her gaping maw, and chewed vigorously before one hearty gulp.
	"Hey, not bad!" Susie complimented before letting out a small yet rude belch.
	"Thank you..." the teddybear-like cat replied.

	"*This guy knows some important stuff. You should ask him some questions."

	"...I got a few questions, if you don't mind."
	"Sure thing...It's not like I have anything better to do."
	"Uh...maybe tell me about...yourself?" Kris was never keen on talking to people he didn't know, but he usually did as the soul told him to. Usually.
	"Heh. Sure thing, traveler. The name's Seam. It's pronounced 'Shawm'. And this is my little 'Seap'." The giant cat let out a small hearty chuckle before continuing. "Over the years, I've collected odds and ends. 'Course, I've got no attachment to any of it. It's just a hobby of mine. Around here, you learn to find ways to pass the time...or go mad like everyone else."
	"People go mad around here? Why?"
	"Well...we're kinda in a hopeless situation. At least, everyone else is. You see, there were these beings...these 'Lightners'...they were like gods to us. Our protectors. Our creators. Those who gave us purpose...The, one day, we were all locked away in this prison...And the Lightners never returned. We have no purpose, here. Not anymore. Losing the one thing that keeps one going, well....it affects different people in different ways..."
	"Well...what if I told you that me and my allies here were these 'Lightners'?"
	"Ha ha...so, you're the 'heroes' who are going to seal our Fountain? Ha, good luck. It makes no difference to me. I never cared much for anything like that since...well, you don't need to worry about THAT."

	"*Don't push it. It's a touchy subject for him. I can explain later."

	"Besides, neither light nor dark hold a future for a Darkner in MY condition."
	"You shouldn't say that..." Ralsei interjected. "There's always a future for everyone! Maybe a healing prayer would help you." The prince offered.
	"Heh...I appreciate the offer, kid, but I'm old. VERY old. It wouldn't do much for me."
	"...You look hurt. Maybe you'll last longer if you let me help you. Doesn't that rip in your eye hurt?"
	"It stopped hurting a long time ago...You three should get going. You have a Fountain to seal after all."
	"....Bye, Seam." Kris concluded, leaving Ralsei disappointed and worried about the old feline.
	"See you again...or not. Ha ha ha ha...."

	Kris motions for his allies to leave the tent with him as they gather outside of the Seams seap.
	"Jeez, what a weirdo." Susie mocks.
	"...I kinda feel bad for him." Kris mentions.
	"Why? He seemed alright with his situation. Could be a lot worse."
	"..."
	"I still think I should go back in there and help him..." Ralsei groaned.

	"*He'll be fine. I got a feeling you'll see him again soon."

	It was only after several moments that Kris noticed that the shady jigsaw piece was still staring at him with greedy eyes.

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Next chapter: Coming soon.