A Learning Curve - Etrian Odyssey 4 - Boyxboy

Chapter 7

AN: Thanks so much Ame_Tasogare for commenting on the previous chapter! Oh, on a random note, I had a dream the other night that Ciaran and Lynus were actually cousins and Ciaran invited Lynus to visit Tharsis XD In all honesty, I would love to do a crossover with CtS and ALE, but not entirely sure how, you know what I mean? Anyway, hope you'll enjoy reading!

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Chapter 7:

Roxbury could barely believe that he had to resort to peering through the blinds of his bedroom window to look outside in the middle of the night in the anticipation of possible danger. At the inn. In the middle of town. Such practices should be reserved for the labyrinths only.

But as he glanced outside, he felt himself twitch in annoyance and anticipation. That cocky red-armoured knight was loitering outside the inn again, within clear view and without his helmet, too. What was he up to? Was he staking out the place or simply trying to unnerve him now that he knew for certain that he and his guild rested at the inn?

The latter seemed more promising. But why?

He had better get out there and see what he wanted. Hopefully, it won't lead to a physical confrontation. If it did...well, he knew a trick or two.

Roxbury debated with himself for a moment about whether or not he should put on his armour and take his weapon, but thought against it. If he showed force from the very beginning, that was allowing Zesiro to return in kind. Zesiro hadn't done anything warrant such a heavy handed approach. Roxbury couldn't be threatening...yet.

Dressed in his usual black, long-sleeved shirt and maroon pants, he slipped out of his room and silently through the lobby of the inn. It was surprisingly quiet, which was a good thing. He didn't want anyone else getting involved.

Stepping outside, it wasn't hard to locate the red-armoured imperial amongst the shadows of the night. He was leaning his back against the wall of a two story building, one arm folded across his chest in a standoffish manner while his driveblade rested casually in the grip of his right hand.

"Hm?" Zesiro murmured the moment Roxbury was close enough to hear him before frowning and looking somewhat disappointed, and yet not at all surprised. "Well, don't you look even scrawnier without your armour?"

Roxbury managed to prevent an annoyed twitch. He wasn't scrawny by any stretch of the imagination. Muscle mass didn't mean muscle strength. But wasn't that one of the downfalls of the Imperial class? All power and little defensive strength?

"You seemed to be obsessed with muscle mass," Roxbury retorted as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Makes me think that perhaps that's all you are."

The seemingly usual smirk on Zesiro's lip didn't falter for a second, even as his eyes narrowed in a way that was surely meant to be intimidating. "Really now?" he practically purred at him as he pushed away from the wall and then lifted his driveblade in his direction.

Not directly at him, mind. But close enough that it was intimidating.

He needed to get that weapon out of his hand. It made him nervous. Why wouldn't it?

Before Zesiro could react, Roxbury placed his hand on the blunt edge of the driveblade and twisted it enough that it caused Zesiro's grip on the handle to falter just enough for him to lash out with his other hand to strike at Zesiro's wrist, twisting the blade sharply at the same time to relinquish his grip on his completely.

He then threw the blade away, the weapon clanging loudly against the stone paved road a few feet away.

Outwardly, he remained impassive, even as a flicker of surprise appeared in Zesiro's eyes. Inwardly, however, he was relieved. He had never used that move before on someone who wasn't expecting it.