Late Night Talk

~~E~~

At the same time. Two girls sat next to an open window, looking at the lively nightlife down below. Thanks to the high population density of the Eastern District, the streets were always filled with some sort of life. Whether it be the normal city dwellers working a 9 to 5 or the nocturnal night owls opening their shops once the sun sets. Rain or shine, the Eastern District was full of life no matter the time of day. But within the lonely apartment building sat Renne and Evangela, staring off with envious looks. The city lights dimmed the moonlit sky that was populated by delivery drones making their runs at night.

"Eeevvvaaa~ I'm soooo bored," Renne hollered into a pillow. "I've been stuck in this apartment for 2 days and can't stand it." It was late at night and Alan had yet to return. The two girls were getting bored with waiting for Alan to return from work. While Renne was suffering from a lack of persons to meaninglessly harass, Evangela grabbed a bag of souvenirs she had received from her trip with Marshal. Renne then gave Evangela an envious look. "No fair," she pouted. "I have to stay cooped up in this apartment while you get to have fun."

Evangela put down the items and gave Renne a head pat in the hopes she would calm down a little. "There, there," she said in a motherly tone. "If it makes you feel better, it didn't get to go with the person who I wanted to go with."

"You mean Alan?"

"Yeah…" Evangela turned towards the window. "Don't get me wrong, Marshal isn't a bad person. He's just too popular for my liking."

Renne took some time to think and teased her a bit, "Well~ if you don't take action now, he might just walk in here with another girl."

"I doubt he would," Evangela said with a distant look. "He's not the type to treat a girl with respect, so I doubt he would have some random girl fall for him."

"I wouldn't be too sure." Renne stood up and stretched. Her face grew serious as she rubbed her chest. "Maybe if you can help him forget his past, maybe he'll fall for you." Renne stared emptily at the wall. She blinked a few times and looked at Evangela, who was now giving her a cornering look. At a loss, Renne tried to lighten the mood, but before she could open her mouth, Evangela wrapped her arms around her and gave her a gentle embrace.

"You don't need to remind me," Evangela said softly. "I know that you both suffered a lot." Renne tried to worm her way out of Evangela's arms. However, Evangela only tightened the hug. Evangela sniffled a little. Renne then stopped trying to escape her embrace, as she knew the hug wasn't just meant for her alone.

Then, without warning, the door to the apartment building flew open, startling the two girls. With embarrassed and flustered faces, they stared at Alan, who returned the stare with an awkward smile. He had a girl on his back who stared at the two with one eye open. "Umm…" Alan spoke with an apologetic tone. "Sorry for interrupting…?"

"Pfff-" The grip around Renne loosened and she backed away and started laughing, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Told ya Eva."

Evangela's face turned a brighter shade of red. But before she had let it show, she turned away from Alan and asked him a question. "Alan, what's going on?" Evangela was fidgeting with her hair. She awkwardly darted her eyes between both Alan and the girl on his back.

"Long story short, she's a co-worker of mine who fell unconscious and lives in the Western District. So I brought her here since I don't know where in the Western District she lives." Alan walked over to the bed he was once been sleeping in and carefully lay the girl down. Without pausing, Alan made his way back towards the door. Renne has a slightly annoyed expression and tried to speak, though before she could, Evangela beat her to the punch.

"Wait, where are you going?" Renne sucked her teeth and backed down. Evangela looked at Renne with a confused look before looking back at Alan.

"I have something to take care of," he turned and said. "So please take care of her for me." With that, he left the room.

"Welp, there goes my entertainment for the night." Renne sighed before walking next to Evangela. She gave her a smug look and chuckled. "So~~~ what was that about him not walking in with a random girl?" She poked Evangela in her rosy cheeks.

"Shut up," Evangela took a deep breath to calm herself. "But I wonder what happened to her?" Evangela looked behind her at the girl laying on the bed behind them.

"Ask her yourself. She is quite a terrible actress." Renne said while walking up to the girl and poking her at her side.

"!?" Maria accidentally let out a small sound.

"See."

"I see," Evangela nodded in agreement and join in.

Maria giggled a little before pushing their hands aside. She sat up and looked at the two girls. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yup, hold still," Renne walked up and gave her a close inspection of the spot where she got hit. "I knew it." She had a sour look. Renne clicked her tongue and opened her air console, trying to call someone.

"Knew what?" asked the puzzled Maria.

Renne sat down in front of Maria and gave her a very serious look, "Do you remember who attacked you? Like a face or what they were wearing at least?" Renne shoved her face towards Maria, staring her straight into her eyes. Evangela took a step forward and a purple mist wrapped around her legs. Evangela then stopped in place.

Maria flinched a little from Renne's straightforward approach. However, she recalled the scenario in which the strange man, who knocked her out, had told Alan to protect a girl named Renne. Unfortunately, she never got a good look at the man's face. Maria took a deep breath to recompose herself, then gave Renne an unflinching stare, "Shouldn't we at least introduce ourselves first?"

"Right...I apologize for my rudeness," Renne backed up with a defeated look and looked at the girl before her. "My name is Renne and I'm not very pleased to meet you." She puffed her little chest and glared at her.

"Wait why!?" Maria protested, "We just met."

"Because... I don't know, I just have a weird feeling about you." Renne backed behind Evangela holding her right hand to her chest. Evangela glanced at her slightly reddened face. Evangela smiled before looking at Maria.

"Alright...Okay then," Maria met Evangela's eyes. "And you are?"

"My name is Evangela, I apologize on Renne's behalf, she means no harm." She then gave Maria a deep bow.

"Don't try to write off my actions as just some impulsive child," Renne muttered so that only Evangela could hear her.

"And last but not least, my name is Maria. Also, what is your relationship with Mr. Macemon?"

"We are Alan's two stepsisters," Evangela quickly lied. "My family took him in after the earthquake."

Maria raised an eyebrow, "And I'm the terrible actress here." She sighed. "You know there are a lot of parentless teens in this city. It's not strange you know."

"Right…" Evangela's gaze trailed off.

Renne then poked her head out from behind Evangela and gave Maria an icy stare. "Can you please answer the original question now?"

Maria did not seem to phase by the intimidating stare of a small child. She gave Renne a warm smile which, in turn, caused Renne to pinch Evangela in the side. Evangela let a suppressed groan of pain. "Before I tell you," Maria looked Renne in the eyes, "how are you related to the terrorist group?"

"So you have met him," she summoned her mist and pulled out her midnight black scythe, and pointed it towards Maria. "Is this enough proof to show how I'm related to Ouroboros?" Evangela ran between the two, with her back facing Maria.

"RENNE!!!" She shouted, "calm down already."

"Step aside Evangela. I want answers." Renne kept her eyes fixed on Maria who was now on guard. "Plus, she used Alan to get here, if she's the enemy, I will not forgive her." Renne used her mist to move Evangela out of the way. Evangela was transported on top of the bed with a disoriented expression. The purple mist then wrapped itself around Renne's left arm.

Maria stared at Renne's determined look for answers. While a small girl such as herself wielding such a large weapon was a surprise in itself, seeing her actions only solidifies her resolve in the current situation. "I guess that enough proof, but you won't really be happy with the info I can give you." Renne lowered her weapon, allowing Maria to approach her. "I only woke up at the end of their conversion and I saw the back of a strange man wearing a tattered cloak with bits of red poking through it."

"It has to be him then…" Renne paced around the room as if she was thinking something. "Damn it, this is killing me." She went to put her shoes on and tried to head towards the door but Evangela stopped her.

"And where do you think you are going?" She asked.

"I was gonna ask Alan a very important question," she said while gripping her scythe.

"Renne, wait for him to return, it's too dangerous for you out there." Evangela clenched Renne's left hand. "You've been acting hastily for a while now. You need to calm down and think. Nothing good would come from rushing without a plan. Don't forget that we can get attacked at a moment's notice."

Renne looked away and unsummoned her weapon. She then glared at Maria, "You're staying here for the night, so get some rest on that bed next to the window."

"She flips too quickly," Evangela muttered to herself. "But I've stopped her from doing something dumb." She smiled as Renne made her way to her bed. Maria gave Evangela a passing glance and motioned her toward the bathroom. Evangela followed and Maria spoke with a quiet yet firm voice.

"Sorry if I made matters worse. I know more information, but seeing how quick she was to react I decided it was for the best that I didn't tell her." She gave her a passing nod and went to the bed she was assigned. Evangela smiled and made her way to Renne.

As Evangela turned off the lights and lay next to Renne, Renne muttered something soft. "It's the witching hour. Please stay safe Arthur and...Alan." Evangela wrapped her arms around Renne. Instead of resisting as she did earlier, she smiled. The warmth of Evangela's embrace helped her drift off to sleep. After hearing her quiet snores, Evangela closed her eyes and followed.