29 Chapter Twenty-Nine: Robin Hood (2/2)

”This might just be me” Finn says, ”but isn't Robin a girl's name?”.

Robin points right at Finn and says ”Shut it”.

”It's like Siran and Robin are brothers or something” Alex says. ”They look and act similar, except we know Robin's dad already and we still don't know much about Siran”.

”Anyways” Siran interrupts, ”this can be a group decision. What do you guys think about taking in the kid?”.

”I think it'll be for the best” Zia says. ”I'd hate to have to send him back to those people in the guild”.

”I think you're too soft-hearted and reckless” Vivi says to Zia and Siran. ”Either you'll have to take him with you on missions or find him a place to hide”.

Siran looks over at Vivi and asks ”How about staying here?”.

”How about no?” Vivi replies, ”you crazy dumb bastard”.

”I don't think it'll be a good idea to bring a kid on missions” Alex says.

”No kidding” Siran replies, ”he may not even know very much magic”.

”Do I have a say in this?” Robin asks.

”Not really” Alex replies, ”but go ahead anyways”.

”I'm proficient in distortion magic” Robin says. ”I know several techniques and I can channel a lot of Endoindustria”.

”Wow, really?” Rose asks.

”I actually prefer to fight” Robin continues.

”I have an idea” Siran says. ”We can't drag a kid around through battlefields... but he does want to take a shot at his old man. So if he can find his own place to stay here in Seeira, then we can bring him on missions, but only any missions involving Garreth. He gets his shot at his dad, we don't have to drag him around to every mission, and he doesn't have to stay with Vivi”.

”As long as he's not here” Vivi says, drinking another cup of coffee.

”How are we gonna find him a place to stay though?” Finn asks.

”Oh...” Siran says. ”Right”.

”Think he could work with those people at the Kitchen place?” Rose asks. ”Maybe then, he could afford accommodations”.

”I don't know what to be impressed with more” Alex says. ”The fact that Rose said something smart, or that she knows a big word in English like accommodations when she grew up around rebels that probably didn't speak English as their first language”.

Rose just simply shrugs as Robin comes to a conclusion. ”I guess that works out, if that's what it takes” he says.

”Cool” Siran says as he walks to the door. ”My head is spinning from having to meet more than one new person within a short period of time and I'm not good at meeting new people. Or meeting... or people. I'm going to grab a drink”.

Zia stands up and walks up to the door as well. ”I want to come too” she says softly.

The two of them leave as no one else joins them. After a short silence in Vivi's house, Finn says ”I wonder what they're up to”.

”Those two are just weird in a similar way” Alex says. ”Except one is usually quiet and the other talks a lot”.

”Oh, I think I get it now” Finn says. ”Guess they like each other or something? I never noticed”.

”Literally everyone has noticed” Alex says. ”Everyone knows it except for the two of them. By the way, Zia's been rather quiet lately”.

Vivi puts down her mug of coffee and asks ”Do any of you think you know why that is?”.

Finn shrugs and asks Holly, ”Do you know why Zia's been so quiet lately?”.

Holly doesn't respond at all. ”Hello?” Finn calls to Holly as Holly finally seems to snap back into reality.

”What?” Holly asks.

”Do you know why Zia's been extra quiet lately?” Finn asks.

”She has?” Holly asks. ”I haven't noticed, I've been too busy ignoring everybody for like... a week”.

”But you just said we were 'unorthodox' earlier when we were talking about the crew” Finn says.

”Did I?” Holly asks.

Zia and Siran went to the local bar. Neither of them said anything as they walked there. It was quiet, but they enjoyed what little quiet time they had. After they arrived, they sat down and began drinking. After a little while, Siran asks ”You seem a little out of it lately, is something wrong?”.

Zia shakes her head and says ”Just... been thinking is all. Also, a lot of people are in the crew now, and I'm not very good with crowds”.

”Me either” Siran says. ”But with this many people joining our cause or looking to us for help, it only proves that the world really needs changing”.

Zia nods slightly in agreement as she drinks. ”What's been occupying your mind so much anyways?” Siran asks.

”If I told you” Zia says, ”then there really wasn't a point in me remaining quiet and thinking to myself”.

”I guess that's fair” Siran says, scratching the back of his head.

”Then again” Zia says, ”I guess it's always better to have someone you can depend on to help”.

”Well” Siran says with a smile, ”I'm glad at least someone thinks I'm dependable”.

”Of course you are” Zia says. ”You're our captain, after all”. Siran laughs a little before Zia continues. ”What do you think the world will be like if you accomplished everything you've set out to do with this war?” She asks.

”That's a tough question” Siran says.

”Well, what do you want the world to be like when the war is over?” Zia asks.

Siran thinks to himself for a moment before saying ”I would say peaceful, but that's a little too vague. What I want, is not only to try to make the world peaceful, but also teach the people of the world to stand up for themselves rather than let people or life push them around. To try to show people that we don't need heroes anymore to save the world, and that everyone has the power in their own hands to make things right; to live life how they really want”.

”And what are you going to do after the war?” Zia asks. ”What do you want from life? A quiet place to live, more freedom, a family maybe?”.

”You guys are my family” Siran says. ”I guess that's what I really wanted all along. A place to belong”.

”That's not what I mean” Zia says, ”but good enough”.

”What about you?” Siran asks. Zia shrugs her shoulders in response. ”No, that's not fair. I told you, now you have to tell me” Siran complains.

”Alright, alright” Zia says. ”I guess I wanted a family too, but I also still miss my old family”. Once again, it seemed like Zia was trying to avert her gaze away from Siran.

”It's okay to miss them” Siran says. ”And if you need someone to talk to or ever need a shoulder to cry on, I don't mind being there to help. Just don't let the world make you numb and lose your ability to cry when you need to. Once you lose your ability to cry, you become like a machine and forget how to be a person... like me. I don't want to see the world destroy you, and you become like me. I'd hate to see the world destroy such a beautiful smile”.

Zia looks up at Siran, her face turning slightly red, with a smile. ”Thanks” she says softly.

After Zia and Siran walk back to Vivi's house, they notice Robin isn't there.

”Where'd the kid go?” Siran asks.

”We took him to that restaurant” Alex said. ”Finn introduced him to all those people there and got him a job. However, he apparently knows nothing about cooking, so they made him a janitor there. At the very least, he has a job”.

”Well, it's a start” Siran says.

”So what should we do next?” Alex asks.

”That's a good question” Siran says. ”I haven't gotten any leads on a possible job, but maybe we're finally ready to take the fight to their land”.

”You mean, attack The Ly'Lum directly in their homeland?” Alex asks.

”Yeah” Siran says, ”they don't know how many of us there are, so we can take advantage of their lack of intel and keep pressure on them. If we can, I want to gather all of the members of The Six Guns together here so we can further discuss our next course of action”.

”No, not here” Vivi says as she crosses her arms.

”Then I guess we'll gather all of our members at the hideout in Vega” Siran says. ”That includes you, Vivi”.

”Fine, as long as they can't trash my place” Vivi says. ”On a related note, you guys are cleaning this place”.

”Fair” Siran says. ”Then it's settled, we just need to find a way to contact everyone and have them gather”.