The Tail of the Twin Dragons

14

"So, your gut is still telling you to go east?" Rogue asked critically.

"Yep," Sting smiled walking with his hands behind his head.

They had left Erik's swamp with a small communication lacrima through which they could contact him. It was hidden in Rogue's cloak in a secret pocket so that it couldn't be taken by any pickpockets. 

Now the two were following a road that led to who knew where with Sting leading the way.

"Well then, who am I to question," Rogue sighed. Frosch was sleeping in his pack while Lector romped ahead of Sting.

"You sound doubtful?" Sting asked sarcastically.

"I am," Rogue shrugged.

"Well then, plan your 'I told you speech out'" Sting smiled, Rogue rolled his eyes.

"Either way, Magnolia is east and they have a larger library there so we are heading in a good direction," Rogue sighed.

"Sting-kun, there's a town up ahead," Lector said running back to the duo.

This awoke Frosch who rubbed his eyes, "Is it eat time yet?" he asked.

Rogue and Sting sighed; they had no money, and no purposeful direction.

"Should we look for a quick job?" Sting asked.

"I suppose so, some money would do us some good," Rogue sighed, "Lets try not to take one that has a possible ally... we do actually need to collect money this time."

They walked into town and began looking for any quick-paying job.

"Want to be a bartender for a few hours?" Sting asked Rogue sarcastically.

"I will not be degraded and humiliated for money again," Rogue growled, "I hated that job."

"Only a joke," Sting chuckled.

Then there was a commotion off to their left. A woman with short light blue hair was being attacked by three figures in plastic masks. One grabbed the woman while the other grabbed her purse and the third grabbed her bag.

Rogue felt a growl rise in his throat, Sting felt the same. They walked up to the figures.

"Hey! Let her go!" Sting yelled.

The three figures stopped.

"Oh look blondy here is trying to be a hero," one jeered.

"Go home lover boy," another sneered.

"Release her or suffer the consequences," Rogue growled his concerns flying out the window.

"Make me," the one holding her said.

"My pleasure!" Sting yelled, he lunged for the first figure and had thrown him into a wall before anyone could blink. Rogue went for the second knocking him to the ground with a broken nose and a black eye. The third figure backed away, the girl still in his hands a knife in his other hand.

"STOP R-RIGHT TH-THERE... OR...I'LL... I'LL KILL HER!" he stuttered. The girl was gasping for air as the man had an arm around her throat.

"That wouldn't be very nice," Frosch said.

The man's mouth hung open as he stared at Frosch in shock, in his moment of surprise the woman slammed her foot down on his toes then elbowed his chest. She whipped her head up and broke his nose and then hit him very hard in a body part that made Sting and Rogue wince slightly as they watched.

The woman stood up strait and smiled, "thank you," she breathed as the man collapsed groaning.

"You're welcome, we did what anyone else would have done," Rogue said. He noticed that she didn't seem to have heard Frosch speak which was a good thing - she must have not heard him over the pounding of the blood in her ears when she was in that headlock. Frosch also seemed to realized that he had made a mistake and gave an innocent "meow".