Author's Note: I did not realize that in the Japanese translation that Frog was more rough around the edges and blunt, if I had known that I would have changed my viewpoint of him in this story! However never fear... I am planning on switching him to his 'true self', but will be gradual as to not compromise the fic. Thanks readers!
Also note that this chapter IS rated M for Suggestive Themes and Violence!~~~~
Chapter 2: The Thief, Eryn The chase had ensued all the way to Zenan Bridge, and both were THAT persistent to keep it up for so long. It was no surprise though that fatigue began to affect both of them, their stamina giving away slowly but surely. The thief's seemed to be a bit better though as whomever it was kept a good distance away of his or her chaser. Frog was just getting ticked off at this point, panting heavily and barely being able to keep up to the point of seeing who he was chasing.
"D... Dammit just stop already...!" He wheezed, stopping at the start of the bridge. He eyed the two... rather confused and oblivious guards having been keeping watch right where he was, this adding to his frustration as he pointed towards her. "Aren't you paying attention?? A thief with a very important treasure is trying to escape!" He exclaimed though only getting one, uneasy response from them.
"A-Apologies!"
Frog shook his head, realizing quickly that he didn't have time to be chatting. Instead he would reach over and yank out one of the guards' swords from their sheaths, resting the blunt end on his shoulder while making a mad rush down the bridge. "I'll give this back once I catch the thief!" He didn't even bother to hear what they had to say, no time.
This was just growing ridiculous. The thief had taken a quick break midway across the bridge and took a quick glance over his or her shoulder. Sure enough they saw the strange creature pursing them once more. "Ugh, seriously??" Whoever this person was, they were getting tired of this as well. So with that they would reach into the side compartment of their belt, pulling out what looked to be small blades... kunai to be more exact. With a grunt they would extend their hand back and just as quickly release them right towards their pursuer, the blades whistling through the air and heading his way.
Now an attack was the last thing Frog had expected this thief to do, skidding to a stop and quickly rolling to the side. He dodged the long-range strike successfully. "So whoever this guy is, he came prepared...” The knight would mumble under his breath, a smile creeping up on his lips. "At least I have a feel of what he'll try to do from now on."
That was true to an extent; the thief used kunai, which could be used as either close or long-range weapons. If this was all the thief had to offer then he could easily deflect them with his Masamune until closing the distance, and then strike when the time was right. Frog felt very confident as he sprinted -and occasionally changed to hopping- across the bridge, certain he would take this person down in no time.
Frog didn't quite expect more company though, especially of the... unusual, freaky kind. He had become nervous when he saw whoever this black-haired thief was nearing the end of the bridge. He loosened up when he saw the guards at THAT end having decided to block her way in an attempt to do something, but would tense up once more as he saw reptile-like creatures suddenly appearing from the sides of the bridges and using what was probably very sharp claws to kill them outright!
"...?!" The thief stopped in his or her tracks, quickly reaching into that very same pocket and throwing more kunai at the two creatures in question. One would anticipate the strike and swipe his hand to knock the puny weapons to the side. The other though... not so lucky; it got a kunai straight through the side of its head and a few more into its torso area, obviously killing it as it slumped to the ground.
They weren't the only ones occupying the bridge though it seems, as suddenly two more would take the fallen one's place, flipping onto the bridge from its sides and looking at her fiercely with those fierce yellow and black eyes. The nerve-wracking thing though was that they were also humanoid, considering the fact they could stand and move on two legs which could also prove to be a challenge for the thief.
"Dammit..." He or she mumbled, backing up a little bit and pulling out all the kunai they could. They were definitely going to be occupied as they continued to back up, the three scary-looking reptiles advancing at the same time. The thief did not even bother to look over his or her shoulder as reptiles began climbing and crawling onto the bridge from BEHIND!
Frog immediately took notice of this, shaking his head and frowning while lifting his open hand up. "Hopefully saving your life will be a good trade for my weapon back...
Water 2!" He exclaimed, a blast of water coming from his hand and expanding into a torrent, being wide enough to extend from one side of the bridge to the other. The reptilians and thief alike all looked over their shoulders when hearing the sound of rushing water getting closer and closer, almost as if it was going to right on top of them. Well it wasn't like a gigantic wave... but anyone who was caught in the large amount of water would probably be swept straight off Zenan Bridge.
"GOOD TIME TO JUMP!" He yelled, the thief quickly taking these words to heart and swiftly leaping over onto one of the sideposts of the bridge!
It was just in time too, just a second or two later the water that Frog unleashed would strike the reptile creatures with such a ferocity, them screeching with pain as they would quickly be washed right off the bridge along with the ones the thief were about to take on!
A sigh escaped his or her lips as they watched the creatures either being swept off the bridge or having bones crushed by the impact of the magic, feeling pretty safe now as they prepared to hop off the sidepost they were on, still clutching the Masamune tightly with their hands. Unfortunately they did not keep in mind the idea that there could be more of those creatures in wait... and as he or she went to hop back to safety, their leg would suddenly be grappled by something or someone.
"?! AH!!"
Frog saw the thief suddenly being dragged off from where they were, them wrapping an arm around the sidepost for dear life while the other hand held on tight to the hilt of the treasured Masamune. The sheath slid off the blade and fell down towards the raging waters below, never to be seen again... and sure as hell Frog was worried that the same would happen to one of his most treasured possessions. "Shit!!" He swore, madly dashing to try and get to the thief in time. Unfortunately he found two more reptilians suddenly flipping onto the bridge in front of him, the sound of two more landing behind him as well.
All of a sudden he found himself surrounded, a frown on his face as he tightly gripped his long sword. "Tch, no time for this..." He mumbled, quickly lunging forward and slashing a reptile deep across the chest. Blood oozed from the wound and the creature let out a shrill cry before collapsing to the ground, completely lifeless without even having put up a fight. Then with unsurprising dexterity he would rotate and come at the next closest one. This one actually tried to attack, extending back its arm in readiness to strike. Frog was way quicker though and was able to jab his blade through the monster's gut, right before he would have been hit. Just like the last one, it crumpled to his amazing sword arm.
"I'm coming!" He yelled, beginning to run again with the two remaining reptiles’ right on his tail. The thief... was kind of pre-occupied at the moment though, busily trying to slam his or her foot down onto their reptile's face. They had to act fast or else they would lose their grip in no time, and fall to their death below!
"Let... go of me...!" They gritted their teeth in frustration, lifting their foot up one more time. "Right... now...!”
They slammed their foot into the reptile's face with all their fury, this finally doing the trick as it lost its grip on both the bridge and its prey, screeching and falling to the waters below. Finally the thief felt a bit more relieved, now trying to pull themselves back up to safety. Upraised they were able to see Frog making his way over to them along with well... a little company, and they gritted their teeth before suddenly throwing something up into the air... the Masamune!
"Hey frog, your sword!!" The thief yelled, slipping slightly and becoming a bit more panicked. "Grab it!!"
Frog was able to tell the voice was feminine, and that alone told him the gender of the thief. He paid no mind to it though but instead to his airborne weapon, a smirk crossing his lips for a second before he would suddenly leap into the air as well. Just when you thought he couldn't get any cooler or flashy there he was to flip and grab his weapon, easily landing back down onto his feet while wielding two swords at once!
With a confident and almost cocky expression he would turn to see the two remaining reptiles coming at him, none of the three succumbing to the damp ground considering what they were. He raised one blade up in front of him, rotating the other so he held it in a reverse fashion. "Come... a new technique..." He muttered, now lowering and twirling his previously upraised blade so it was in a reversed hold too. He took a breath as if clearing all the surroundings from his mind, and just when the reptiles looked like they were going to close the gap for good...
"
Dual Nirvana Strike!!"
Like lightning he shot forward and past the two reptilian monsters, hands and blades extended forward and eyes shut tightly as if having been concentrating the entire time. His two opponents were still... as if frozen in time itself and not a single part of its body seeming to move. However as Frog rotated his blades once more and stabbed them into the bridge, the damage that was done from the attack would be obvious. Suddenly their bodies split apart horizontally, right in the middle. They were literally sliced in two...
Frog stood up and took a deep breath, smiling as he looked down at his open palms. "I did it Cyrus... not only could I master your impeccable Nirvana Strike technique, I could morph it into an even more powerful form... finally, I..."
"Uhm... sorry to interrupt your train of thought or something, but... I'M STILL DANGLING FOR MY LIFE HERE!!!"
He let out a startled croak, remembering what he came out here to do and quickly sprinting over to the thief. He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back up onto the bridge, it being an easy task for his strength. To see that they were both okay and got through this ordeal... it made him even more thankful for his skills and past adventures today.
"Whew... thanks..." She gasped, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "I thought I was a goner there."
"It’s not a..." Frog started as he took a glance at her... his eyes widened immensely. As the thief stood up he could see what her appearance was completely without stress or worry, and what a beauty she was. "p... problem..."
She had the most silky, soft black hair he has ever seen, and green eyes that sparkled with cuteness. And what was even more sparkly was the golden, heart-shaped locket that she wore around her neck. It seemed very valuable, expensive even. She wore a black top with a few quick fixes to fit her right, like a couple of cuts around the neckline to allow easier movement and more air to flow through. The added sexiness was just a bonus...
It also did a good job of concealing her chest... Down at the bottom of her shirt, it touched a short black skirt along with a thin belt, her belly showing just a bit. The skirt went down to just above her knees. Even with that, though, Frog could have sworn that those legs of hers stretched on forever... lastly she wore a pair of wedge-heeled sandals along with fishnet stockings, a sheathed dagger strapped on the right leg down there as well. Overall she was drop-dead gorgeous; the belt didn't really match but she needed that for obvious reasons, ex: the freaking reptiles that would have killed the both of them if they were weaker, and the kunai that she had snugly situated in one of the pouches!
Oh Frog definitely found an attraction, at least a physical one. So much in fact that he let out a long, startling croak that made her giggle and him turn red with blush!
"Hehe... my name is Eryn, and who are you 'Mr. Frog'?" She asked, looking at him with curiosity. Funny how just a few minutes ago she had a completely different personality; from tough and devious to cute and seductive, though it probably wasn't THAT hard of a change. Frog's face shot even more blood red then it was a few seconds ago!
"Err... either Frog or Glenn, it’s your call."
Eryn nodded; a bit confused about the two different names thing but deciding that well... she could always inquire about it later. Right now though he seemed to be tensing up again, realizing why they were out here in the first place and the girl slowly moving back up onto her feet. "Okay Frog... I can explain why I tried to take your sword..." She started, smiling sheepishly though finding it hard to smile which such a serious gaze upon her. He sure changed gears fast, too!
"I... It was a money issue. I figured if I auctioned it off, I would be in a better situation then right now back in my hometown."
She was quick to admit the truth, Frog was mildly surprised! He was even more surprised to find her quickly dropping to her knees, leaning down as much as possible to come face-to-face with him. Of course considering she was still a bit taller than him; he was more staring her chest up close than her face, and that made him even more uneasy. He tried to keep his cool though.
"I-I see... still; stealing something is an offense, and on Castle grounds..."
"I promise I won't attempt something as foolhardy as that again. Please don't turn me in!" She begged, bowing her head down so her forehead would rest lightly against the bridge. From the position he was in Frog could see tears stream down her face, and suddenly he found himself feeling... sympathetic for her. He hadn't aimed to hurt her or anything but there she was, begging... he could kind of understand WHY she had attempted to steal his Masamune, but the question was if he should let her get away with it.
Slowly Frog would walk to one side of the bridge, staring out at the sun which was slowly beginning to set behind the far off mountains. Eryn would look up as well after wiping her cheeks clean of tears, only one thing going through her mind. '
Come on guilt...' She thought, praying in her mind that she got away with this. Her and jail matched as well as fish and chocolate!
He would soon turn slightly to look at Eryn, letting out a soft sigh before gesturing to the side. "Go."
"H... Huh?" She blinked, looking at him with confusion and wondering if that was the answer she was hoping for.
"I said you can go. I'll just say I took down the thief of my sword and call it a night... that's what you want, isn't it?" He asked, chuckling as he walked over to the two blades and yanking them from where they were stabbed. "Besides, you had a reason to do what you did, even though it was kind of... well I won't lie, it was kind of stupid. But what's done is done... now c'ya."
Frog began to walk away, frowning to himself and wondering over certain things. He sure has changed the past two years... sort of. He used to be all direct and rough around the edges, now he was trying hard to hold his old persona in with a chivalrous shell. In other words, he was trying to act like something he wasn't thus if his friends were around; he'd probably look like an idiot.
"Wait!" She quickly cried, making him stumble a bit and turning quick to face her. Eryn was back up on her feet but she seemed upset again. The frog just did not know what was up with her!
"What now?" He asked, frowning still but now at her.
Eryn made her way over to Frog, sighing and shifting a little bit as she pondered over what to say. She then did the most surprising thing... to him anyways. She took him by the hips and lifted him right up off his feet, and hugged him right up against her! Now who knows how you would react but Frog seemed absolutely astonished and more than a bit embarrassed!
"I... I can't go back home!"
What? Now she couldn't go home? This was beginning to grow confusing for him. "Why not? I know you’re not doing well but there's nothing I can do to help..." He tried to persist.
She wouldn't have none of that though, shaking her head and looking down at his face with just the cutest eyes. So cute in fact that he quivered slightly. "Can't you think of something else...? Please...?" She seemed nervous as she asked this, and Frog definitely found it a bit suspicious. But the thing was he really could understand where Eryn was coming from. She is obviously going through some tough times and going back now would just be mean to the poor girl. It was growing near nighttime after all!
Frog wasn't quite sure where she lived now or where she came from for that matter. But alas a solution did pop in his mind... one he was hesitant in sharing, but decided to none the less. He let out a heavy sigh and then met her gaze. "I suppose you can stay at my place for the night then. It’s in the Cursed Woods to the south..."
All of a sudden he found himself being hugged even tighter than before! He gasped and struggled a bit as Eryn squeezed him to her body, the girl cooing happily before putting him back down on the ground. "Thanks Frog!" She exclaimed, gazing down at him and then to his surprise, giving him a wink. "I owe ya!"
"R, Right. Anyways we should get going there now... I still have things that I need to do and all." Frog would say, Eryn nodding as they both were already prepared to leave. He was quick at remembering though that he still had that one guard's sword, chuckling a bit and running north down the bridge. "First things first though, better return the guard his weapon."
-----
After about an hour of traveling the sun was almost completely gone, the moon beginning to take over illuminating both the sky and the planet. There was surprisingly no conflict with monsters as Frog led his guest down into his well-hidden home, Eryn looking around in honest surprise. His home looked exactly the way it did two years ago, plus a few memorable and important additions.
"Wow, not bad Frog..." She said, smiling as she looked at the two beds and then at Frog as he placed the Masamune on a nearby table. "You really live here alone...?"
A quiet nod from him, and then another question. "Don't you get lonely?"
"Sometimes..."
He sighed, glancing over at a picture resting nearby his bed and then back at Eryn. "I think we should both just turn it for the night now." He suggested. Despite how fast it was to turn into night outside, the woman was surprised that he wanted to go to sleep so soon. But hey, it was his home and his rules. She would glance once over at the Masamune though before finally parting her lips to speak.
"Yeah... good idea."
And that is where fireworks began to go off in Frog's head. He turned away once more to remove his bronze chest plate as well as his cape. He wasn't all that ashamed of doing so in the presence of a girl. Once more it was his home and he liked to sleep without a hulking piece of armor attached to him! When he glanced over his shoulder to see if Eryn was resting in bed though he found she had removed most of her clothing! Her top, skirt, sandals... all that she was wearing was her undergarments!
"! Uh..." He gulped, trying hard not to croak again while staring at her black lingerie. The sight was rather err... 'nice'. "Are you trying to ask something from me...?" He inquired, both his and Eryn's faces reddening before she shook her head.
"No, I just like sleeping this way... what's your excuse Mr. Shirtless?"
Eryn wasn't nearly as uncomfy as Frog as she stared at him. Frog on the other hand instinctively found himself grabbing at his cape, pulling it in front of his body as he struggled to find words to say. Oh she was good at tripping him up. "I-I... uh... well good point..." He put his cape back over the chair and then kicked off his boots, still finding it hard to keep his eyes on his guest's face and not well... elsewhere. "It’s okay with me then..."
She nodded and smirked triumphantly as she went over to one of the beds and laid down on it, turning to face away from him after pulling the blanket up. "Great... good night Frog, sweet dreams..." She paused, and then added in. "You little pervert."
Frog was still a bit dumbfounded at what just happened, standing there for a bit and just staring at the now sleeping thief. Sure he should have been thinking about things like the fact that in the morning he may find her and his weapon missing, or if she can be trusted. But instead the rawer, primal emotions began to show on his face, something that didn't happen to him often.
"R, Right, night Eryn..."
He decided to shrug off all thoughts and got comfy in the other bed, being quick to pull the blanket up and fall into slumber. Sure he was worried that she make sneak out with the Masamune and try to sell it for a good sum of cash or whatever...
But his instincts told him Eryn would stay right in this very home, and would be in that very bed in the morning.
TBC
