Partners in Crime

Green Hell

April 2, 2023

Xavia and Dusk find themselves venturing into the depths of the Nozama rainforest on a quest from their employer for an ancient Jungle Staff that was concealed within a forgotten temple many years ago.

Armed with knowledge and well equipped for the journey ahead, Xavia clears a path through the dense foliage with his scythes while Dusk carefully studies their map. The ambient sounds of cicadas and frogs chirping fill the air, adding to the mysterious atmosphere surrounding them.

"Dusk, tell me we're close," Xavia says as he pauses and wipes the sweat from his brow, "This humidity is a bitch."

His eyes scan their surroundings, dense vegetation mixing with the eerie silence of an undisturbed jungle. He isn't thrilled about this mission. Too much nature for his liking. Wandering around in a dense forest hunting for some lost staff isn't his idea of fun.

"We're... Close-ish, I'm sure," Dusk replies hesitantly, squinting down at the tattered map as she shrugs her shoulders. 

She glances back up at Xavia, his face shining with sweat. His usually gelled hair now hangs in damp strands around his forehead. He looks... Worn out to say the least. The dense wilderness of Nozama isn't a stroll through Weston City for either of them.

"Cheer up big guy! We've still got some light left before we need to set up camp," She offers an optimistic smile but it feels heavy on her lips and she knows that he won't buy it anyway.

She notes to herself how this job is a lot trickier than Aurelius had made it sound. And if Xavia's getting tired then that's not a good sign.

"Great. Just great," The white-haired man retorts sarcastically, rolling his eyes at his partner's hopefulness as he resumes slicing through the seemingly endless green maze. 

His grip tightens on his scythes and he begins to pick up the pace, hoping that if they move faster, they can find this damn relic before nightfall.

"Hey! Wait up, Xavia!" Dusk calls out after him, scrambling to keep up. Her legs are killing her but she pushes through the discomfort and advances forward. She doesn't want to get left behind in this god-forsaken jungle. 

As they continue their relentless march towards an unknown destination, Dusk finds herself stealing glances at Xavia's back, strong and muscular under his black funnel hood jacket despite his obvious fatigue.

Xavia grudgingly slows his pace to match hers, grumbling under his breath, "Can't have you getting lost now, can we?"

Despite himself and against all odds, her constant chatter was beginning to grow on him. Maybe it isn't as annoying as he once found it. Or maybe the jungle heat is messing with his mind. Damn, since when did he become so soft?

"No, we absolutely cannot. That would be so very tragic," She replies, a hint of sarcasm in her tone as she falls into step beside Xavia.

Her eyes travel from his face down to the scar on his cheek and she momentarily finds herself lost in thought. What happened there? The question had always been at the back of her mind.

"Mind your step and quit staring already, Dusk. This isn't a runway," Xavia remarks curtly, his sharp dark eyes seeming even more intense as notices her gaze lingering on his scar.

He absolutely despises that scar. It's just an ugly reminder of his past and the man who had given it to him. He scratches at it subconsciously when unwanted memories begin resurfacing in him.

"Right... Not a runway," The dark-haired girl murmurs, snapping out of her thoughts and pulling her eyes away from him. She wonders what story it holds but she knows better than to ask.