Rangers Endgame

Yakeru looked at her, eyes slightly wider than before. He replayed the recent events in his head as if to confirm what she just said.

She was right.

He, a weakened C-rank ranger, was prepared to confront an A-tier monster who had previously massacred who knew how many kobolds beforehand. He'd never thought much of it before.

Was it because his body was moving on its own?

"Oh, well, uhm..." he stuttered, somehow struggling to find the right words. "It was nothing. I guess I was just doing what anyone would do."

"There are few people who share your modesty," she said before glancing out the window. "I should find the others before they go too far."

"Oh, alright then."

They exchanged goodbyes before she left the room.

Aoi leaned against the stone wall, placing a hand over her racing heart as she became consciously aware of how much heat had risen to her freckled face. She couldn't wrap her head around why she felt so embarrassed.

'Did he notice? Did I look strange?'

She began to feel more self-conscious the more she thought about it. Furiously shaking her head, the redness in her cheeks subsided and she regained enough composure to walk down the hall.

Yakeru's eyes lingered on the door she left through as silence once again filled the room, her words echoing through his head for several minutes before he decided to finish his meal.

*****

"Easy now...slow and steady. There you go." a brown-haired physical therapist supported Yakeru as he sluggishly walked forward.

Three weeks had passed since he'd put any weight on either of his legs. Beside him, Fuyumi was receiving the same physical therapy, being assisted by a middle-aged black-haired woman. After they'd recovered from their injuries they were immediately transferred to the hospital's P.T. Ward.

He wore a leg brace on his once-broken leg while Fuyumi sported two, courtesy of Yama Hospital. It was a type of durable plastic exoskeleton with soft padding to ensure a comfortable fit. A gem was embedded in the side of the brace giving it a yellow glow.

According to the therapists, the gem was forged from the heart of a Junky, a monster capable of reinforcing and strengthening its body. The gem could achieve a similar effect to those wearing the brace, though the effects of the gem are temporary. This was then used to support the injured until the affected area had regained its natural strength.

This was another reason why Yakeru couldn't walk straight. His strength in his legs was disproportionate to each other, which made the simple task of walking just a few feet rather challenging.

"How do the braces feel? Too tight?" the black-haired woman asked Fuyumi.

"No, they're fine."

"Same here," Yakeru replied briefly, inspecting its intricate design. "In fact, it feels really comfortable."

"Glad to hear it," the brown-haired man said with a small smile. "They came from Daisuke Prosthetics Corp. So I'd hope so."

With Fuyumi's legs, back, and side still sore, she pushed through it. She seemed to be getting the hang of walking again faster than Yakeru, despite being in bed longer than him since her injuries were more severe. Meanwhile, Yakeru continued to stumble forward here and there. He never thought he'd take such a basic skill for granted.

After gradually getting used to walking again, they stopped leaning on their respective therapists for support, Fuyumi being the first to walk straight again. Yakeru chalked it up to her having two braces compared to his one.

The physical therapists were pleased to see the two rangers pacing up and down the hall without the need for assistance.

"Will you two be okay? Would you like us to help you outside?"

"No, thanks." Fuyumi denied.

"I'm okay, thank you for all your help." Yakeru bowed as much as he could without toppling over.

"You're welcome. Let us at least escort you there."

After making their way to the front desk to fill out release forms, they were greeted by Kenji and the others who then escorted them outside. Immediately upon opening the doors, a cool breeze caressed their skin, reminding them of their elevation.

"It is good to see the both of you upright!" Kateshi exclaimed.

"Let us know if you need a shoulder to lean on, okay?" Kenji offered.

"Thanks but I think we've gotten used to it by now," Yakeru said as he stumbled forward slightly. "For the most part..."

Both Yakeru and Fuyumi tottered down the road with Kenji and Aoi on standby to catch them should they fall over. They made small talk as they made their way to the carriages on the outskirts of the village. Although this dungeon raid didn't go quite as planned, they were still able to share a light laugh thanks to Kazeki. Fuyumi, as usual, didn't crack so much as a smile as she studied the stone road. It didn't take Yakeru long to notice. She'd always been the quiet type so he was used to it but something felt different this time, like her mind was elsewhere.

As they arrived at a fork in the road, Fuyumi suddenly split from the group, eliciting confused looks from everyone.

"Uhm, you know the carriage services are this way right?"

"Go on ahead. There's something I need to do."

Their expressions turned from confusion to curiosity when she said this. She'd just gotten used to walking again not even thirty minutes ago. Unsure of how far she intended to walk on her own, Aoi spoke up.

"Well, at least let one of us accompany you, just to be safe."

Fuyumi stared at her for a moment, making her shudder but her slightly worried expression remained. If it weren't for her condition, she would've been perfectly capable of running an errand by herself.

"It shouldn't take long," she replied but her reassurance didn't seem to dissipate Aoi's concern. "But if you insist. Come on."

A small smile formed on Aoi's lips as she made her way over to her.

"We'll meet with you all later," Fuyumi assured the rest of the group as they walked off.

Aoi stood by her side as they temporarily went their separate ways. There were fewer villagers and buildings the further down the road they went making Aoi question where they were headed.

"Hope you don't mind me asking but where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there."

Fuyumi stumbled here and there on their way down the road, prompting Aoi to brace her when she did. Eventually, the stone beneath their feet gradually transitioned into dirt. That's when Fuyumi stopped in front of a small one-story glass structure with a sign reading 'MOMO'S GREENHOUSE'.

Fuyumi casually strolled inside forcing Aoi to follow suit. Once inside, they were greeted with a welcoming perfumed aroma of roses, lilacs, and various other flowers growing within the greenhouse. It was also noticeably warmer inside.

"Wow, look at all these flowers!" Aoi beamed as she gravitated towards a lily, forgetting why she joined Fuyumi in the first place.

"Oh, looks like I have some customers." A familiar voice sounded from a curtain of vines.

A woman, around her late twenties, rounded the corner and placed a pot of roses in a window beside various potted flowers. Her brunette hair was tied into a messy bun and she wore a tan linen apron with dirt smeared here and there.

"Hey, I know you. You came by during the week of the festival, right?" The woman asked, recognizing Fuyumi's silver hair.

"Yes."

"And I see you brought a friend." She shot Aoi a warm smile.

"You have quite a beautiful selection of flowers." Aoi complimented.

"Awe, thank you. Some of what you see on display are imported to Yama since they don't grow in this area."

"No wonder I don't recognize some of them." Aoi stole a second glance at the exotic flowers.

"Feel free to take a look around."

"I will, thank you."

The woman turned her attention back to Fuyumi who seemed to be spaced out.

"Well then, I take it you're here for the violet dancers you reserved. They're in the back, I'll fetch them for you." She said, retreating around the corner.

Fuyumi looked over at Aoi who seemed to be infatuated with a particular flower. It had several stems sprouting from the soil in a spiral pattern that eventually merged into one, blooming into draping sky-blue petals.

She was like a kid at a candy store. It actually reminded Fuyumi of her first mission. Yakeru and Kenji exuded the same excitement when laying eyes on exotic animals for the first time. She'd always seen that child-like curiosity repulsive until recently. She didn't exactly know what changed but now she found it almost...charming in a strange way.

'I might be spending too much time with those two.' She shook her head.

Moments later, the woman returned carrying a pot of violet flowers. The flowers swayed from side to side every time the soft light from the base of the stem gently pulsated to its peddles, giving the impression that the flowers were dancing.

"Here you are." She traded the pot of flowers in exchange for a few coins.

"Thanks."

"Thank 𝘺𝘰𝘶. You two take care now." She waved as Fuyumi wordlessly tapped Aoi's shoulder, snapping her out of the hypnotic state the flowers seemed to have put her in and following her outside.

Due to the extra weight of the pot, Fuyumi periodically stumbled down the road. Fortunately, Aoi caught her every time, though it didn't take her long to adjust.

With every pulse, the violet dancers continuously swayed back and forth, piquing Aoi's curiosity about the plant.

"That greenhouse had such a fascinating selection," she said, studying the plant. "How did you know about it?"

"I found it after we came here."

Now that she mentioned it, Aoi remembered her going off on her own while the rest of the group went to see the festival.

"Oh, I see."

After several minutes, they'd rendezvous with the rest of the group who were standing idly by a carriage they were supposedly taking.

"There you are! Come on, our ride's ready." Kazeki informed them as everyone proceeded to climb in the back.