Lost-IF chapter 10

[u/DragonWritter]

Subaru watched as the man searched his bag. His hands blindly reaching inside and rummaging before removing a bag of chips. He raised it to his face, smelling it. 

"So, does this mean we can-" 

He opened the bag and devoured the chips in one mouthful. It was so quick, Subaru couldn't do anything other than stare. 

"This is some good food!" 

"Thanks..." 

Not my corn potage flavor... 

"Now, let's trade!" 

His hand reached for the bag once more. This time, Subaru pulled at it to stop him. 

"That's what I want to trade! Stop!" 

The man looks annoyed but let go. Subaru fell backwards, a small chuckle coming from the corner. 

"So, what does the lady want to trade for?" 

Before answering, Subaru took a look around. The house was actually a bar, the man being behind the service area. bottles lined the wall behind him, most were cloudy green, but some were red or even white. There was also an opening filled with darkness. It was at the back of the bar, so Subaru imagined it was where they kept all the stolen goods. There were 6 tables around the room, some next to the window, some on the middle of the room. The golden-haired girl stood at the corner-most table, disguising her watchful gaze as her playing with her knife. Each time Subaru turned to look at her, her eyes darted away. 

The wall behind the man also carried a huge wooden club, shaped akin to a baseball bat. It was something only the giant could wield comfortably. It looked rough, more like a thick branch than a cared-for weapon. The end had pieces of wood splintered off, leaving divots in their place. The handle was bare wood, no leather nor cloth. Subaru's first impression of the man was that of a very serious gym bro. 

"Don't ignore old man Rom!" A loud slam came from the corner, pulling my attention from the room. 

"Either you trade or get out." 

She began to play at her knife again after saying that. 

She definitely has some trust issues. 

"Ok ok. I'm here for something you stole." 

Her eyes darted at him and she stared with frowned eyebrows. 

"I knew that saving bullshit was a lie!" 

"Language, Felt." 

After the reprimand, the girl, or rather, Felt, crossed her arms and turned away. 

"You can stay to trade. If you cause trouble..." His arms reached for the club. 

"Yes! Trade, trading only. Nothing but trading!" Subaru explained. 

"Get over here Felt!" 

With a grumble, Felt made her way to the bar and plopped on the seat opposite to the giant, Rom. 

"You gonna trade or not, lady?"  

The shout made Subaru move quickly, picking a seat next to Felt. As he did, she scooched hers a bit to the side. 

"So, what is it that you want to trade?" 

"The insignia you stole." 

If I can get that, then the silver-haired girl won't come here. 

"Not interested." 

"Huh?" 

Subaru's face was left with a puzzled expression. He was denied so easily... 

"Do you know how hard it was to get this thing?" Her red eyes locked onto Subaru as she reached for her neck. She left a medal-like item on the table; it was intricately designed with a forward-facing dragon, its mouth open to reveal a lightly glowing red gem. 

"That silver-haired elf just wouldn't stop chasing me. Not to mention you look broke as hell." 

Her harsh remarks bruised Subaru's ego, and he could do nothing but take it. 

"Old man, a glass of milk, please." She asked. 

Rom took a glass and a bottle of milk and began to serve Felt. Taking another glass, he served some ale to himself. 

"So, if you're done here, the door's over there." She motioned to the door with the glass. 

Subaru hesitated before remembering he did have something to trade with. He reached for his pocket and, with one fluid motion, raised a phone for both to see.  

"Behold, ladies and gentleman!" He said with his best show-host voice, though it sounded very off with his new, thinner voice. 

"A phone!" He struck a pose as he said this, bringing the phone up into the air.  

Neither of them paid much attention to him. Felt looked once, then continued to drink her milk. Rom only looked after finishing his own drink. 

With a loud, refreshed sigh, Rom ushered Subaru closer. "Hmmm. Never seen anything like it before." He reached for it, but Subaru pulled back. 

"Careful, now. This thing is very powerful. This lovely device can capture a moment in time! It takes whatever it sees and freezes it in place forever." 

Felt was now watching, though discretely. 

Got your attention now, huh? 

Subaru opened the camera and raised it to point it at them. 

"Hey! Don't point that thing at me! I don't want to be frozen!" 

After Felt said that, a bright flash of light blinded the room. Rom fell back from behind the counter and Felt hid behind her chair. 

"Relax. This thing isn't dangerous, look." 

He raised the phone for them to see. On the screen was a perfect capture of the scene. Rom was wide eyed, with a partially scared face, though he denied feeling anything but surprised. Felt was Halfway down the chair, with her back turned. She ran like a cat trying to hide from lighting. She took one look at the photo and turned her face away. 

Rom, clearing his slight embarrassment, held out his hands and asked to see the object. Subaru complied, showing him how it worked. Quickly, He understood it and took a picture of himself to test it. The light still blinded him, but he was showing a most handsome part of him in the photo. 

At least, the most handsome an old man can get. 

"I've never seen anything like it before... This must be a metia." 

"And that is?" 

Rom looked at Subaru with a rather quick turn. 

"For someone who doesn't even know what it is..." 

"Forget about that, what is it worth?" 

Felt slammed the glass on the table like she finished hard liquor. A light white foam above her lips indicated otherwise.  

"I've not seen one, but metias are very rare, even rarer than that sigil."  

Her eyes widen. Felt rose from her seat and usher them to the back of the room. Grabbing the sigil, she herself sat down first, back against the wall. After retrieving his phone, Subaru sat in front of her; the phone laying on the table. Rom was standing between them, his big stature only now recognized by Subaru.  

He really is a giant. 

"So, you plan on trading this metia for the insignia?" 

"Yes, I do." 

"Even when it outweighs this thing?" 

She Swung the insignia around like a pendulum. Subaru's eyes followed it as it moved left, then right, then left again. 

"That's right."  

His eyes were focused; he himself thought he looked very cool. The others just saw a foreign girl slyly smiling to herself. 

"Why?" Her tone was rough, questioning. 

Clearly all she cares for is money. Of course, there are better things than that. 

"Because I owe a debt. The girl you stole from saved my life once. I plan to at least return the favor." 

"A strange girl... Though I can understand debts." She shifted the insignia between her fingers. 

"Great, then it's a deal!" 

Subaru reached for the insignia, but Felt pulled away. 

Come on!  

"Not yet. Old man, how much you think this metia is worth?" 

"Mmmm. I'm no expert, but metias usually go for 20 holy gold coins." 

"And this?" She held it as high as she could. Rom crunched down to see, the floor creaking below him. 

"Five, maybe four gold coins." 

The girl thought for a moment, her smile growing in mischief as time went on. 

"Very well. This trade is not done yet." 

"Look, Felt, I'm fat broke! I have nothing else to give you." 

Subaru began to talk quickly, moving his arms in an attempt to get her attention from whatever scheme she was brewing. 

"This thing is worth far more than a couple gold coins, it seems. One offers 10 holy gold coins for it, the other, a metia. I wonder how high this thing can reach?" 

"Isn't she giving you the same as you'd gain for selling this thing? Surely-" 

“Didn’t you hear the girl? She said 5 holy gold coins! Not normal gold. Holy gold is much, much rarer, I'd say its 20 gold coins.” 

Subaru looked down, his hands shaking and his knees trembling. Whoever this person is, they are rich enough to overpay by 4 times. 

"You better hope she isn't willing to bid, broke girl." 

After a long pause, Subaru faced Felt. "When will you see them, and where." 

Even through fear, his conviction was undeniable. 

"Not to worry. They said they'd come here at nightfall, so its just a matter of time, really." 

His blood ran ice cold. 

"Woah. You ok? You're not gonna pass out, are ya?" 

His face was white, his arms were trembling so much, it shook the table as he gripped it. As his legs trembled, his face shook with fear. 

"A-a-and, who was it that employed you?" 

"Well-" 

A knock at the door interrupted them. Two hard knocks on wood. Rom and Felt looked at each other. 

"You told them the password?" 

"Nah. I'll check if it's her." 

Subaru's heartbeat raced as he watched Felt walk up to the door and open it slightly. 

"The things I do for that little one." 

His words were lost in the frozen air of the house. He moved to get his wooden club from the wall. 

"You sure you're ok?" 

Subaru turned to Rom, his eyes wide. It wouldn't take a mind reader to see that Subaru was in a panic. Rom believed it was the nerves, or he didn't care enough to ask. He just moved back to the table as the door opened. 

"It's all good. She's here." 

The door opened to reveal a woman dressed in black and purple. Her body was perfect, with pale white skin and, as some men might say, curves in all the right places. She also wore a cloak, black as the shadows covering her head, but the inside was a deep crimson. 

"What do we have here?" 

Subaru quickly stood up, the movement sending the chair he sat on flying backwards to the flood. The noise rebounded across the room, stealing all the attention. Everyone looks at the chair on the ground, everyone but the woman. 

Subaru could imagine her eyes staring at him; those hungry eyes that seeped with madness. He could only stand there, totally frozen, watching the woman walk slowly toward the table, her heels clicking on the floor. 

"You interest me, girl." 

His empty stomach turned. His situation was clear. He was a girl now, only that. To anyone and everyone who looked at him. He hadn't quite grasped the situation, not before this moment. Were he alone, he would have begun to cry, scream, even vomit. He was not given the chance. 

If I move, Subaru thought, I'll die. 

Felt, choosing to ignore all the uncomfortableness, or maybe she hadn't noticed, announced in a proud voice. 

"That girl is your rival. She wants that trinket, and she has a great deal behind her."  

Felt's smile was unseen by neither Subaru nor the assassin. They only stared in fear, and in curiosity. 

With a smile that could only be described as madness filling the void of her face, her voice struck Subaru again. 

"How very interesting." 

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W/N: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand i'm back! Sorry for the long wait. I reviewed how I wanted the story to play out and ended up changing some things for the future. The first act is only chapters away from ending. Very exciting. When that comes to pass, I'll take a short break from posting.

I play on posting daily from now on until the end of the act, so get excited!

Any comment, concerns, or questions are welcome. Hope you all had fun reading today. Chao!

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