Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

Who Brings THAT to a Sword Fight?!

"-And so, we thought we could team up, because we're all from different worlds, so we already have a kind of connection," Kipo explained nervously. She was starting to get a little worried at this point, because all throughout her five minute long explanation, Kris hadn't spoken at all, in sign language or otherwise. "And since you obviously want to help these people, too, we can all help them together, right?"

Kris didn't answer. They didn't even move from the chair they were sitting in ("We didn't get a chair," Anne remarked when she saw it) and Kipo could feel herself sweating.

"...Right?"

After a second of silence, Fei Fei spoke up, but she kept her voice low. "Kipo... do we know if they speak English or not?"

"No, they spoke ASL last time," Kipo explained offhandedly, keeping her eyes on Kris for any sort of reaction. Because of this, she didn't catch Fei Fei's confused face.

"American Sign Language," Anne explained impatiently. She stepped forward. Both she, and the guard outside, were getting impatient. The guard was facing away from them, but his irritation was hard to miss. "If they speak that, why aren't you using it?"

Kipo nearly turned to explain that yes, she had been using that the entire time, but before she could, Kris finally moved. They raised their hands, and started to sign something slowly and deliberately.

"I'll only join you all on one condition," Kris told them.

"A condition?" Kipo repeated. She wondered what it could possibly be. "What is it?"

"One of you has to fight me to the death."

"..." Kipo couldn't move for several seconds, and she didn't speak in either english or ASL. "Huh?"

"One of you has to fight me to the death," Kris repeated, and Kipo glared at them.

"What are they saying?!" Anne butted in, looking from Kipo to Kris and back. "What's wrong?"

"They want one of us to fight them to the death to prove we're worthy," Kipo explained, keeping her narrowed eyes on Kris. Her fists were clenched. She couldn't help but think of Adam.... and someone else, too-.

"But... that doesn't make any sense," Fei Fei spoke up, and Kipo's thoughts were suddenly cut off. "If we're going to fight to the death... and we prove ourselves and kill you, how will you join us?"

Anne nodded. "Yeah, that doesn't make any sense at all. This town's brainwashing must have gotten to them, Kipo!"

Despite the fact that the sentence was addressed to her, Kipo didn't answer. She was too surprised to move, too confused.

'Wait... Fei Fei's right... so that means..."

Kipo turned back to Kris, who was staring at them blanking. Kipo could read their face... at least until they looked away, crossing their arms and huffing like a child.

"Dang it."

Kipo blinked. "What?"

"I had hoped you'd believe that for sure," Kris explained, but it still felt like they were complaining. Kipo spluttered on her words.

"Wh-Wha-Why- Why would you do that?" Kipo cried. Now that her fear and worry were gone, she was left with confusion. "What was the point of that?"

"Well, even if it didn't completely work, your face was still funny," Kris gave Kipo a grin, but it wasn't a friendly grin. Instead, it was full of malice, and even though Anne and Fei Fei hadn't even heard what he said, they stepped back, too.