Falling Upwards - Arknights

Chapter 1: Mostima

- Lungmen, 0910 hours -

Mostima and Torrent have been walking in the streets of the city for an hour now, catching up on more things and questioning those experiences however they can. They talked about whatever they can think of from food, people, the cities, and Arts among other things.

However, neither of them brought up the issue of them parting ways so abruptly from the past, and Torrent couldn't bring himself to blame her again.

After all, he already realized that he was selfish back then. Having understood her way of adventure, he started to understand why she left him in favor of taking on her own journey.

"By the way, thanks for the milkshake earlier this morning. I really appreciate it." Mostima thanks Torrent about the dessert he bought her.

"Ah, don't mention it." Torrent says to her.

"Really, thanks." Mostima insists and Torrent caves. "So, what's up with your weapons? Same ones you brought from your old work?" She asks him while pointing to the sheathed sword and the partly concealed gun.

"Just the Arts sword. The gun was given to me by Exusiai." Torrent answers her, piquing her interest.

"Oh? Exusiai gave you one of her guns?" Mostima questions.

"Eyup. She gave it to me as soon as she found out that I'm working for Penguin Logistics just after Praetor disbanded, so I think it's been with me for some time now." He nods to her question, confirming it.

"Wow. She must've been so jolly to know that you'd be working with her now." Mostima audibly mumbles.

"Hah! You should've seen her. She was really glowing when she found out, both figuratively and literally." Torrent says, in which they both chuckle.

"How is she?" Mostima asks him about the apple pie-loving Sankta.

"Let's just say she's having the time of her life, sometimes way too much but who am I to judge? The entire Penguin Logistics is a collection of slightly insane characters." Torrent explains to her. "I guess Exusiai found her ideal group, because she and the rest are way too effective to be considered a logistics company." He adds up.

"But that's exactly why you chose to join them." Mostima states and Torrent agrees.

"Not officially, but yeah, that and the fact that one of my childhood friends is there." Torrent replies and Mostima nods in understanding. "You know, she really wants to see you again." He tells her.

"I know." Mostima simply replies.

Silence ensued between them after that. Whether they ran out of topics to discuss or they just don't want to make the atmosphere heavy between them is a subject of debate.

Regardless, they continued walking for the rest of the hour, admiring the city itself from an outside perspective.

Torrent soon breaks the silence and speaks again.

"Something reminds me... What brought you here in Lungmen? It can't be just the festival, no?" Torrent asks her.

"As a matter of fact, I actually came for the festival. That and I want to visit Penguin Logistics." Mostima answers him.

Torrent nods and he doesn't speak again, involuntary making a downcast face that hints that he wanted to hear a better reason for her appearing now. Mostima caught his expression and she instantly felt bad.

She always thought about discarding the concept of friendship, but when she thinks about (Lancel), she simply cannot do so. Her walking alongside him after so long doesn't help at all.