Trust is Fickle

The streets of Hargeon were quiet besides the few drunks who stumbled their way home after a night of drinking. Whenever Clementine saw one in the street, she ducked into a pitch black alleyway until they passed. The young woman didn’t want to interact with anyone, especially not drunk men. To them, she was just fresh prey. Clem knew this from her many years in Neutral Grounds. Too many awful experiences had led her to be extremely cautious in the night.

The lonely girl made her way through the alleyways down to the port. The town was unfamiliar to her, but she used the sound of waves lapping against the harbor to guide her. At last she stumbled into view of the ships. The hulking masses creaked and groaned as the water pushed them to and fro. Otherwise, silence fell on the docks. Not a single soul was out at this hour except Clem. The homeless teen was used to being out at unseemly hours. A sleep schedule was something only those more fortunate than her were privileged to have.

Clem had a decision to make. Stay awake and wait for a shipment to come in so she could steal some food, or sleep and use the little money she had to buy food during the day. She flopped down on a nearby bench. Sleep was oh so tempting. Her stomach growled in protest. “Fine, fine,” she grumbled back, and lounged out on the bench.

Hours passed and no ships came. Clem played with her hair, boredom overcoming her. What else was she to do? The thought of breaking into a deli or bakery played at the edge of her mind. The hunger pulling at her stomach was growing harder to resist. To distract the feeling, she decided to tag one of the ships. The hull was such a magnificently large canvas. Surely she could make something beautiful to annoy the captain with. A snicker left her mouth. Serves them right for not guarding their ships!

She rose from the bench and grabbed her spray paint cans from the ragged backpack on the ground next to her. Blue eyes skimmed over the boats, trying to decide which one to use. The intense gaze came to rest on a giant white boat. It seemed incredibly detailed and fancy. Likely a cruise boat for some stupid rich people. Clem scoffed and made her way towards it.

Tough hands clutched the cans and narrow shoulders squared in preparation. Clem closed her eyes for a moment. In her mind she conjured a visual of what she wanted to paint. Once she had the idea, her eyes opened and she launched into action. Red and burgundy found their way into the boat’s side, accompanied by gray and white. Clem stepped back for a second and observed her work. Starkly against the white of the ship was a freshly painted elephant surrounded by a red sunset. Drops of paint rolled down the side to drip into the water below, staining it crimson. A satisfied feeling wound through the teen. She felt proud of her art. “I’m getting better!” she hummed to herself happily.

As she stepped forward to add some finishing touches she heard an angry voice cry out. “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Clem jumped in shock and turned to see a man dressed in a lightly colored tunic with a large rune printed on the front. His cloak flowed behind him as he paced swiftly towards her. “Shit,” Clem snapped. It was a Rune Knight, probably the one who was supposed to patrol the docks!

A jolt of adrenaline shot through her body. She had to talk or act or she would be in serious trouble. Her mind fought with the instincts of fight or flight. Her fear got the best of her and she snatched up the paint cans by her feet. She took off, shoes thumping against the planks of the dock. “Hey! Come back here!” the Knight cried, giving chase. Clem swiped her backpack from the bench and sprinted for the streets.

The teen felt like her heart was in her throat. Her feet pounding against the cobblestone matched the beat. She wound through the streets and alleys, trying to trick the Knight off her tail while staying ahead of him. It worked for a while, but he was slowly gaining ground. Suddenly a blast of light hit the corner of a building as she passed. Clem yelped. Rune Knights used magic! How could she forget? She ran harder.

Fear gave Clem’s legs energy, so she gained distance once more. A few corners were turned and she ducked behind a giant planter. The teen squeezed herself as small as she could and tried her best to still her breath. Loud footsteps passed by as the Knight gave chase to a nonexistent target. As soon as he was out of earshot the escapee let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Blue eyes peeked between the leaves of the plants, scanning for her enemy. When they didn’t find anything, Clem scrambled from her hiding place and ran in the other direction. After a minute she had to stop and catch her breath, bending over her knees.

From the shadows of a nearby alley came a “Psst!”. Clem’s head jerked up and she gripped her backpack in preparation to flee again. From the darkness emerged a young woman who appeared a little older than Clem. She was holding her hands up to show she wasn’t a threat. The teen eyed her over cautiously. The woman wore a bright gold bodice and extremely tight black leather pants. Her bright purple hair shone in the moonlight. Behind her seemed to float a pair of wings made of gold and gemstone. She was magnificent and beautiful. At the same time, she seemed out of place in such a drab town. A stage seemed like a more fitting location. Clem looked down at her own old, ratted clothes and felt self-conscious. She’d never been able to wear nice clothing. Whatever she could find in dumpsters or steal from others was her wardrobe. The sudden longing to be fashionable surged through her body, an ache that had no certain relief.

“Hey, no need to freak out, babe. I’m not here to hurt ya. That was a pretty impressive escape you made back there,” the woman began. She halted her approach a few feet away, standing with one hand on her hip.

“You were watching?” Clem asked, brow furrowing. How could she have not noticed such a brightly colored individual? Then again, she was more focused on her escape than her surroundings. The girl cursed herself for being so careless.

The woman laughed as she caught onto the teen’s trail of thought. “Yeah, we know these streets. We’re masters of hiding in our home,” she proudly stated.

“We?” Clem interjected. There were more crazy dressed people? She pictured a group of people with blinding clothing, a mix of vibrant colors. The amusing image made her relax a tiny bit.

“I’m part of a group who lives in the shadows of Hargeon. We’re called Chromas. Come with me and I’ll show you the ropes, hon. We could use someone like you!” A sympathetic smile crossed her face as Clem’s stomach let off a monsterous growl. The teen’s face flushed red in embarrassment. Why did her body have to betray her?

“Let’s get you some food and rest then. I’m Maithea, by the way. But you can call me Maya,” she extended her delicate hand out to Clem. The younger woman hesitated. She didn’t know this person or her intentions. She didn’t know if she could trust her. The two woman turned their heads as they heard footsteps and shouting. By the sound of it, the Rune Knight realized Clem had escaped his pursuit and returned with backup. The thunder of footsteps roamed through various streets nearby. The teen’s heart began to thud again. A shout came from two alleys over. “This way!” Clem panicked, looking around. From the direction she had come was a trail of paint splatters. There was a hole in her backpack where paint from her spray cans had leaked out. “Damnit!” she cried as the Rune Knights could be heard approaching. Maya snapped her fingers to get Clem’s attention. She leaned in close, her violet eyes staring intensely into the teen’s blue ones. “You have to decide now, kid. I’m not about to get caught by Rune Knights cause you couldn’t make a choice,” she snarled, a stark emotion to how she acted before. Clem’s eyes widened in fear. This was not the same face Maya had displayed earlier. Familiar fear and guilt swirled inside her, the same feelings she had when her mother harked on her for doing something wrong. She couldn’t be the reason someone else was captured by the authorities. Clem’s stomach let off another sound, and her mind was made up. At the very least, she could get some rest and food from these people before moving on. What harm could that do? Besides, she’d be an ass to turn down hospitality from someone like Maya.

Clem reached out and took the woman’s elegant hand. “I’m Clementine, but most call me Clem,” she replied softly. Maya smiled widely, then turned and led her swiftly into the shadows of the alleyway. The sound of confused Rune Knights echoed behind them, but the teen did not turn back.

As the two women continued through the dark alleyways, Clem grew more apprehensive. She had no clue what lay ahead. Were the Chromas a gang? Would they hurt her? Just who was Maya? Blue eyes flicked up the back of the purple-haired woman’s head. She had seemed very kind at first with her offer and had appeared to be innocent enough. The sudden angry outburst had been a shock though. Clem pondered the moment, wondering if that was how Maya really was. The notion was dismissed. She decided that it had been her own fault for taking too long to decide. Anyone else would get impatient, right?

The two women rounded a corner and Maya came to a stop. Before them was a run-down building squeezed between two taller buildings and blocked in by another behind it. The only apparent entry was through the alleyway that they were in. A few of the windows were cracked or broken. Crumbling stone steps led up to the entrance. The door had the words “Pam’s Pastries” painted in a faded and chipping pink. “This is our spot,” Maya said, approaching the building. Clem trailed behind, her eyes roaming over the little building. It was a quaint place that instantly seemed comforting despite its lackluster appearance. A little smile appeared on the teen’s face.

“It used to be a bakery back in the day, but the street it was on turned into this alleyway as other businesses began to grow around it. Eventually Pam couldn’t afford to keep the business open and the building was forgotten about until we came around,” Maya explained, turning to Clem. “Follow me. We’re going to introduce you to the others.” With that, she grabbed the younger woman’s hand once more and pulled her towards the entrance. The door opened with a creak as the two stepped in. The inside looked like it hadn’t been touched since Pam’s days, like she just up and left without everything. Though it was dusty, some of the tables had been dusted off and footprints could be seen in the grit on the floor.

Maya led them through the kitchen door and to the back of the room. The leader snapped her fingers and a strange little lacrima machine materialized. With a press of her hand, the lacrima let off a beep. Before the two, the floor seemed to melt away beneath their feet, revealing a staircase that led down into darkness. Clem couldn’t help but show the surprise she was feeling. It was unusual for gangs to have technology, let alone something so fancy. “That’s an interesting machine,” the teen commented cautiously as she descended behind Maya. The other didn’t turn. “Yeah, we’re lucky to have Aurora, she’s our techie wizard. She makes all kinds of cool stuff!” At the bottom of the stairs, there was another door. This one didn’t seem to require a hand password. The two entered into a large room which looked like a comfortable common area. A little kitchen sat in the corner, accompanied by a table with a few chairs. Squishy couches and lounge chairs occupied the other side of the room. A few rugs covered patches of the floor. Posters and art littered the walls, some handmade and some not. Everything in the room was colored in vibrant swatches. It was hard to look just one place at once.

Maya strolled in towards the couches, where two figures that Clem hadn’t noticed lounged. The others looked up from their places. “Sup, Maya,” said one girl. The other just gave a silent nod at the leader. “Ladies, I’d like you to meet our newest recruit. This is Clementine,” Maya replied smoothly, beckoning Clem closer. The teen gave a nervous wave. The two couch-goers sat up to look at her. The one on the right was wearing a dress shirt and a gray skirt with a yellow tie hanging loosely around her neck. Yellow hair was cut short and framed her face. Clem had to do a double take. Her hair was yellow, not blonde. She seemed excited, while the other couch occupants observed the teen in cold calculation. Green hair, cut similarly to her companion’s blonde hair, was pushed behind her ears. A short green bodice accompanied by a white jacket covered her top, while white pants were swallowed beneath extremely tall brown boots. The cheery Chroma addressed Clem. “Yo Clementine! I’m Mack! This,” she gestured to the quiet one, “is West. Great to meet ya!”

“H-hi,” was all Clem managed before Mack leaned back over the edge of the couch. “AY, AURORA! SAVVY! GET OUT HERE AND MEET THE NEWBIE!” She leaned forward again, grinning at Clem. The teen liked her already.

From rooms beyond the common area appeared two other women. The taller of the bunch had vivid orange hair that was held back in a ponytail. She wore glasses and a green shirt with jeans and a brown jacket. “Hi,” she greeted Clem, “I’m Aurora.” She glanced at Clem’s raggedy, occasionally dripping backpack. “I can fix that for you sometime!” The homeless girl gave her a nod in return. She definitely had the looks of someone who was good with technology. Then, from behind Aurora, peered a girl much younger than the rest. She was so small. Her blue hair fell across her face as she stared at Clem shyly. The newcomer was struck with an ache to her heart. The little one reminded her of Ammi so much. She held back tears and steeled herself. A good first impression was not made by crying.

Maya walked up to the small girl and gripped her wrist, yanking her from behind Aurora. “Savvy, you’re being rude. Come greet Clementine,” she said sharply, pulling the girl harshly behind her. The little blue squeaked in pain and surprise. The other girls averted their eyes at her aggressive actions but didn’t say anything. Maya pushed the girl in front of Clem, where she stood hiding behind her hair. “This is my little sis, Savaya. We all call her Savvy though.” The teen kneeled down so she was at eye level with the shorter girl. “Hi Savvy,” she said gently, “My name is Clementine. How old are you?” The girl peeked from behind her blue locks. “I-I’m thirteen,” came the quiet voice. “Wow, you’re practically a grown up!” Clem joked, and the younger one cracked a little smile. The teen’s heart melted. She was so much like Ammi it hurt.

This didn’t seem to impress Maya, who huffed and stepped in, pulling Clem towards the kitchen. “Let’s get you something to eat kid,” she said with a smile at the newcomer. Mack leapt from the couch and followed behind. “Ooh Clem I can make you a sandwich! I’m good at that!” she chirped. Without waiting for an answer, the golden girl made herself busy in the kitchen, working like a whirlwind. In what seemed like seconds she had made a plate of delicious looking food. Clem’s mouth began to water.

Savvy snuck over and pulled on Mack’s sleeve. “Macky, can I have a snack too?” she whispered to the woman. “Of course Sav. Here, I have an apple that has your name on it!” From a basket on the countertop she produced a shiny little apple and handed it to the little sister. Savvy scurried over to where Clem was sitting with her meal and clambered up into the next chair. The two ate while Mack and Maya talked quietly nearby. West seemed engrossed in cleaning a set of knives while Aurora fiddled with the watch lacrima on her wrist. Clem began to relax. The environment was comforting and the Chromas seemed nice. They were providing her food and shelter without question. Maybe this could be her new home, at least for a while. The thought of leaving Savvy behind sent a pang to her heart, but Clem reminded herself that she was not Ammi. Nobody could replace her sister. As she stared at her empty plate she wondered if Maya knew how treasured siblings are. She wondered if Maya felt the same about Savvy as she had about Ammi.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the little girl tapping her arm. “Come sit on the couch with me!” Savvy whispered. “Okay,” Clem whispered back. The two walked to the other side of the room and flopped down on the cushions. With a fully belly, comfortable seating, and warmth, it was a wonder the homeless girl wasn’t asleep as soon as she hit the cushions. The rest of the Chromas came and sat around too, chattering among themselves. The group remained like this for a while before West got up and left without saying a word. Savvy had fallen asleep beside Clem, her head resting on the armrest. Aurora picked up the girl and carried her away, likely putting her to bed. A yawn claimed Clem for the billionth time. Maya noticed and gave the younger woman a smile. “You should get some sleep, hon. It’s been a wild day.” Clem nodded in sleepy agreement. The leader left to another room and reappeared with a pillow and some blankets, which she handed to the teen. “Thank you,” Clem murmured, and cozied herself up to sleep. Within seconds she was out like a light.