Concern

"Yeah, he made quite a mess in there but i did try to clean some of it." He smiled with his head down fidgeting on his fingers.

When he was asked that particular question Rodrick laughed to avoid answering it. But when he looked at her he knew that she was serious, her eyes meant no animosity and instead was concerned for him. This was not the time to worry about others. He said to himself while looking at her physique again, the girl were weak and frail but why is she concerned about a boy she just met yesterday?

Then he remembered how his pulse skipped a beat when Yumi's warm yet fragile fingers met his. It was the same warmth that he used to feel before. Rodrick slacked his back against the wooden chair and stared into the ceiling to avoid looking at Yumi's eyes.

"At first I wanted to-" he puckered his lips and had second thoughts in sharing his intentions, simply because he never really got to tell anyone of the things he felt, "At first I wanted to travel the world, and with rider i can do that without fighting for the holy grail."

He lifts his hands to show Yumi his powers, lights shimmered out of his palm. "Thanks to my memory, I can remember the places I've been too," the strange shapes and lines circled and  changed into various forms like slideshows of different places and directions.

He manipulated such convoluted lines into a more detailed map like those modern gps. Buildings and towers stretched further out like a miniature city that Rodrick can control.

"But also remember the things that I should rather forget." He clasped his hands tight thus making his powers disappear. "My only wish is to bring someone dear from me back from the dead." 

The girl listened to his word attentively as she watched in awe, the beautiful places that were shown by his power before eventually the lines and gaps transformed themselves into those of buildings, hovering in midair then disappearing when the male clasped his hand. 

"Your fate is sealed once you become a Master,"she said calmly,"the wheel of fate will make sure of it." 

She looked outside the window. A single leaf fluttered down after being blown away by the harsh wind. "It will be nice if we can just go around the world and care for nothing in our life." 

Turning her head back to the male, she let out a soft giggle once more. "But that's wistful thinking, of course." 

Her eyes softened as she remembered his wish. Such a grand thing to long for, couldn't even be compared to her measly wish. 

"Bringing someone back from the dead, huh?" She muttered to herself as she once again looked at the window as if she was staring at something far and distant, something that she couldn't understand. 

"That person must have been very special for you."

"Yes, he's probably the reason why I'm here." Rodrick stayed quiet for a while to stare at a simple bracelet that circled on his right hand. Blue stones hung connected by a rough and worn down cord.

"I remember him telling me to not go with him, so instead of going to where he is I'm gonna take him back." his eyes flashed in determination. A wish so impossible but Rodrick believed in it even if he didn't want to fight.

He spent most of his life running away but maybe this time everything can change. He has Rider and new friends to back him up. the company of others that will stay kept him at ease even if the road to the grail is paved with blood.

One day is all it took for him to experience what it's like to have a permanent company, one day is all it took for him to realize that he needed to be strong in order to survive. 

He grasped his bracelet and looked at Yumi with determined eyes. "I will survive no matter what," he said as he showed the brightest smile that he could muster.

Seeing the sad and longing look in his eyes as he stared at the beady bracelet on his wrist, the girl chose not to pry farther. It must have been a hard topic for him. 

"Thank you for sharing my story," she said, smiling.

"No matter what, we must survive."

With those words, she turned herself back to the book in hand, letting the words flow to her head as she murmured the texts underneath her breath. 

Until a particular word caught her attention and she trailed a finger to it. 

Magic Transmission. 

Instantly, the girl felt her heart throbbed and she felt air being knocked away from her lungs. 

Thump. Thump. Thump

She clutched her head as a swarm of images began to invade her mind. Her other hand clutched the line of her collar as she struggled to breath.

Thump. Thump.

Cold sweat slid down her cheeks as she stared at the blurry view of the books in front of her. Flaring pain bursted out from the Command engraved on her forearm. 

Thump.

"I'll protect you, okay?" 

The Instant he saw Yumi Clutched her head in pain, Rodrick jolted upwards from his chair, knocking it backwards in panic.  He frantically looked around for something that can help sooth her pain, he toppled a few books stacked on her table and accidentally trampled on some of the scrolls.

What happened? Is it me? Is it the book?  He said to himself as he chucked the book away from Yumi who's still in pain.

"Hey, Yumi" he said as he gently shook the girl's shoulder. Having no response Rodrick went silent and gulped down a huge lump of fear that had itself stuck inside his throat. If this continues, she'll die.

Faster, Rodrick needs to come up with something but he just can't. Too many thoughts jumbled up in his head. Hospital? No, they won't be able to understand. Maybe something in here can help, But what does Rodrick know? Finding an instant cure to all this seemed so far-fetched.

The only thing he could do now is stay beside her, patting her from behind while calling her name repeatedly.