Taking Flight

-----Kaede's POV

I get why Yui is against the idea, but I feel like it'll be important anyways. Plus a couple other drivers are skeptical of me when I was collecting blood back when we left Inasdale, and as we're making our way towards Luna, I can see many soldiers eyeing me up, clearly concerned about it. Iris is the leader here, and she's accepted me for who I am, I can't have them think she's hiding a monster. So yes, I will make it public, even if Yui is against it.

Actually, now that we're taking time to walk down the road, I actually spotted the same group of women I left behind in Maemont, the one's I saved in that goblin cave. I didn't get to see them, but I guess we did manage to pick them up when we stopped in Maemont. They of course recognize me as I wave out to them. I'm glad to see them smiling after everything they've been through.

Yui: "You know those people?"

Kaede: "Not personally, but yeah."

Sicily: "They were with us when Kaede rescued us."

Lillian: "If feels such a long time since then now."

Yeah, I'd rather not think of that memory. Especially now that I've accepted the idea of Mell being my daughter. Just the thought of what those- yeah, no.

Yui: "Well, they'll be with us now, so we could always stop and say hi to them after all of this is over."

Kaede: "Yeah."

We soon arrive at Luna's caravan, but only Nick and his father were stretching their legs outside, leaving Luna and her mother inside. I guess Luna's probably still resting.

Nick: "Ah! Hey guys."

Yui: "How's Luna?"

Nick: "She's still breathing, but she hasn't woken up yet. Mom is inside tending to her."

Yui: "Thank goodness."

Nick's Father: "Yeah, it was a rough night for us."

Nick: "Oh! I don't think you two have met? Kaede, this here is my father, William."

I have my hands preoccupied with holding Mell's legs while she's on my shoulders, so I opt to just give a small bow with my head.

Kaede: "Nice to meet you."

William: "Mm. Likewise."

Iris: "You think we can see her?"

Nick: "Of course."

Lillian: "Even us?"

William: "Any friend of Ellen's is a friend of ours."

Lillian/Sicily: "Thank you."

And so, we stepped into the caravan as I immediately caught sight of Luna and her mother. I was expecting Luna to be asleep like Nick had said, but her mother also seems to have passed out beside her, similar to how Faye ended up passing out while holding Fleur.

Yui ends up sitting on the other side of Luna as we all take our seats around her. Mell takes her spot beside me as usual, clearly making sure that I'm not leaving her sight.

William: "She finally got some sleep."

He spoke in a soft voice in an attempt to not wake up Luna's mother.

Looking at Luna, her color is still a bit worrisome, but that's to be expected since she did lose quite a lot of blood. But it looks like her clothes from before have been taken off and now replaced with a thick blanket over her.

Yui: "Can I look?"

William: "Mm. Go ahead."

Yui then proceeds to lift the blanket off of Luna's back, exposing the scar that I saw last time while making sure the rest of her body stays under the blanket. It sure is a nasty scar, but at least it's not visible. Unless Luna somehow has the ability to extend her eyes around to her back.

Natalie: "That's... Quite bad, right?"

Alice: "It was scary. I wasn't sure if my plan would work or not."

William: "I thank you again for saving my daughter, Alice."

Alice: "Actually, it was Ellen that actually healed it. I only managed to stop the bleeding."

William: "Ellen? You did this?"

Yui: "Y-yes."

We were all keeping our voices low, but William seemed to have gotten a bit too loud at his excitement of hearing that Yui was the one that actually healed Luna. And of course, Luna's mother slowly wakes up to the sudden commotion.

Luna's Mother: "Mmm? M-my lady?!"

Iris: "Good morning, Elira. Sorry if we woke you."

Elira: "N-not at all! I didn't plan to doze off. Thank you for waking me."

Iris: "That so?"

Elira: "Ah! And Alice! Thank you again for saving my daughter."

William: "Actually hon, it was Ellen who healed our Luna."

Elira: "Eh?"

Yui: "...Yeah. But it was a group eff-"

Suddenly, Elira springs up and hugs Yui with enough force to even rock the caravan a little. Seems like Yui's becoming more and more of a celebrity now, hehe. But I still wonder why I cannot overwrite her healing. Back when I tried to heal Luna while the water/blood mixture was in place, I felt my magic being interrupted, almost as if there was a barrier around the wound. I know it's just a scar on her back and she's likely not going to see it for the majority of her life, but I still feel like it's something that shouldn't be there.

Elira: "Thank you so much, Ellen!"

Yui: "I-it's nothing."

Elira: "No! You've done many things for our daughter. And now with this, saving her life? I can't thank you enough."

Yui: "T-tight! Elira. Soften up a bit, please."

It was funny seeing Yui handle this praise, and Elira doesn't seem to be letting up, only breaking her hug with Yui after a few more moments, allowing Yui to compose herself once more.

Elira: "Sorry, hehe."

Iris: "Well, we'll finish off checking up on the soldiers."

William: "Okay. Thank you for stopping by, my lady."

Alice: "We'll come back here once we finish. You guys can stay here if you like, Ellen."

Yui: "Mm! Okay."

With Iris and Alice now leaving, our focus was back on Luna. I took the opportunity to try and heal her back once more, but just like before, my magic is bounced back when it comes into contact with the scar. It reminds me of the mana-sealing crest, only I don't get that painful electric shock when I try.

Sicily: "Still can't heal it?"

Kaede: "No."

William: "If you ask me, I would think Luna would like to keep this scar. You were with her during the fight, right, Ellen?"

Yui: "Y-yeah. I only looked away for a second when it happened. It was all so fast. I'm sorry that I couldn't stop it."

William: "It all worked out in the end. Don't apologize. You're the one that healed her after all."

Elira: "He's right. You're the last person here who should need to feel like apologizing."

Yui: "Hah~ Okay."

Natalie: "If it bothers you, then just apologize when Luna wakes up. But I'm sure she'll say the same thing as her parents are saying."

Elira/William/Nick: "Mhmm!"

After some idle chat in the caravan, we end up leaving earlier than expected as to let Elira get some rest. She's been awake all night so if we stay there for any longer, we'll only be a nuisance.

Yui: "...Hopefully she wakes up soon."

Natalie: "We can check on her again on our next break."

Yui: "Mm."

We end up walking back down the path, joining up with Iris and Alice as they seemed to have finished with their job. We make a U-turn, and start heading back to our caravan, only this time, Mell is now walking by herself, although I still need to find her some shoes as she's still walking barefoot.

Kaede: "You sure you don't want a piggy back?"

Mell: "It's okay. I don't want to tire you out, mom."

Kaede: "Pfft. Okay~"

That said, she still decides to hold my hand which I found to be quite adorable.

And eventually, we end up making our way back to the front as I mentally prepare myself for the so called "show." I jokingly said for Violet and her family to come see, but I didn't expect them to actually come. Not only them, but many of Iris' soldiers also came by from behind us, making for a decent sized audience for what's about to take place.

Yui: "You really sure about this?"

Kaede: "I trust your mother. I'm sure this will be fine."

I like to think if it wasn't, then Iris wouldn't have brought this many soldiers with her. She likely is also thinking what I'm thinking, wanting to be completely transparent from here on out. I let go of Mell's hand as she groups up with Sicily and Lillian while I take the center stage; not like this dirt road is any stage to begin with.

Kaede: "I'll just get straight to the point!"

I've never been good with speeches, so I'd like to think that Iris also gave the soldiers some sort of idea what's happening. That said, I'm still quite nervous about the words I'm about to say. Wait, I could just extend my wings, saving the explanation and just showing them instead. Yeah I think that'll get my point across.

So, with a deep breath in, I focus on the same feeling I felt when I leapt up to Lucien from last night. The tingling sensation I felt at the time becomes apparent yet again, and in the next moment after collecting myself, I extend my wings out in broad daylight, with each wing stretching as wide as my height. I didn't really pay much attention last time when I first brought out my wings, but looking at them now, they sure look hideous. Instead of the glossy, feathery wings that birds like my Cloud Weaver had, mine are more like leather, much like a bat, with the light shining off the black color. With everyone watching on in disbelief, I take the chance to maneuver my wings a bit, slowly lifting them up and down, but not enough to lift me off the ground.

Kaede: "...I'm a vampire."

At my words, I nick my thumb with my now extended nails, drawing out my own blood before shaping it into a scythe, but not as large as the one I was wielding last night as that'll be too much of a burden on my body. Surprisingly, everyone seemed to be more shocked by me manipulating my blood than my wings which I felt was a bit disappointing, since I only learnt that I can do this very recently, whereas I've been controlling blood ever since I was little.