STRANGE

The town was strange—people drifted around, staring quietly. Their eyes pierced like newly forged blades, and it irked Sponge; goosebumps prickled her skin when she caught a child's gaze, those dark, hooded eyes boring into her. She turned away, feeling a flicker of fear.

There was something unsettling about the town, but all she wanted was to visit the pawn shop to sell the ores she had found.

When she finally spotted the pawn shop, it looked rickety and old. The porch seemed one step away from being consumed by bugs. As Sponge stood on it, she carefully avoided the weak planks, pushing toward the door and eyeing the dim interior, where only one lantern flickered, illuminating the desk.

Sponge stepped inside to find a man counting money at the desk. He looked up at her, eyebrow raised. "Come to sell something?" he asked. She nodded wordlessly, dropping the pouch on the desk.

The man attacked the pouch like a bear with its prey, opening it with a chuckle as the light from the ores illuminated his face, giving him a manic appearance. "An outsider with this much magic ore? You should be careful around here," he murmured, casting a wicked glance at Sponge.

"I'd rather you all be careful around me," she replied, tilting her head. His eyes flitted over her axes before meeting her gaze, and she noticed him lean back slightly—though barely perceptible, she could see a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"How much do you want to sell this?" he asked, tipping the pouch and watching as the ores tumbled out. Sponge could swear she saw his eyes shimmer with greed as he stared at them. Unconsciously, she sniffed the air, catching the same murky scent she had encountered in the cave.

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. "500 gold," she replied.

Returning to the cave, Sponge was already a shivering mess; the cold felt painful—a familiar sensation she once knew. Shaking her head to dispel those thoughts, she huddled away from the fire. She knew she should be sitting close to it—fire warms you, fire keeps the cold at bay. But for some reason, she couldn't compel herself to do so. Instead, she pulled her cot away, sitting on top of it with her legs crossed, staring at nothing in particular.

She straightened up when she saw Vvh step inside the cave. "Hey," Sponge greeted, watching as the other woman dropped something to the side, the sound of metal clanging together filling the air.

Vvh turned to Sponge. "Take a look," she said, prompting Sponge to move before she could think. Peering into the bag Vvh had dropped, she let out an excited "ohhhh," her lips pursed in interest as she pulled out a sword. It wasn't as beautiful as Vvh's, but it looked brand new. Along with it, she noticed a bow and a few arrows.

A realization dawned on Sponge. "You're teaching me other weapons?" she asked, and Vvh nodded. "A sword first. I've seen your… impromptu lessons, trying to copy my style," she said, causing Sponge to flush as she grabbed the scabbard and sheathed the sword inside.

"Did I butcher it?" Sponge asked meekly, almost like a shy child.

If Vvh could laugh, she would have. But she didn't, so she held back. "You already know the answer. Why ask?" Vvh replied, eventually stepping out of the cave.

Sponge sighed, standing up and dragging herself outside. The snow felt uncomfortable against her skin as she watched it fall from the sky, glancing over at Vvh.

"With a sword, you don't need to apply so much force; you can break your blade," Vvh said, drawing her own sword. Sponge nodded, feeling the weight of the moment.

And with that, their training began.

Sponge had always thought fighting in water was challenging—perhaps snow was even harder. She struggled to focus; the cold was relentless, and each puff of her breath fogged her glasses, blurring her vision momentarily.

"Focus," Vvh's sharp voice pulled her from her stupor. Sponge panted, bending over her knee as she wiped a cold sweat from her forehead. Her sword hung loosely in her right hand as she caught her breath. Vvh approached, silently sheathing her sword.

"'M sorry, fighting in the snow is really hard," Sponge grumbled, standing up.

"You must be able to fight in any weather; mere snow shouldn't bother you," Vvh replied. Sponge winced, shrugging half-heartedly. "Sorry," she muttered.

"Do not say sorry; you're admitting your failures," Vvh said before walking back into the cave. Sponge's eyes followed her, biting her lip in confusion.

What was wrong with Vvh today? What had bitten her in the ass? Did she wake up on the wrong side of the bed? What had Sponge done to irk her so much that she's talking to her like she's just some dirt under her nails?

Hadn't they just enjoyed their vacation last month? Their conversations had been light—almost pleasant. Now, Vvh's reassuring words felt hollow.

Maybe the snow was affecting Vvh too. Sponge glanced at the powdery white snow under her boot, narrowing her eyes before following after the other woman.

—

Waking up from a bad dream had become normal for Sponge—the sensation of fire licking at her feet, the ice burning her skin, and the faint sound of a man crying.

Sponge opened her eyes, sitting up in one swift motion and breathing heavily. It was embarrassing how long it took her to orient herself; she had almost forgotten she was sleeping in a cave with Vvh in Mongolia. Turning toward Vvh, she saw her silently poking at the fire, adding more wood.

"Did I—uh… fall asleep?" Sponge mumbled, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

"You did. Here, I bought some bread," Vvh said, tossing a piece to Sponge, who caught it in her arms.

"Thanks… but you should have just woken me up to buy it for you. It's cold," Sponge replied, glancing at the snow falling outside. Thankfully, the fire had melted the snow that had drifted inside, keeping things warm enough without being too hot for her.

"I may be brutal in training, but I won't wake someone up from sleep just to buy food when I can do it myself," Vvh replied. Sponge silently opened the bag and pulled out the bread, grateful to find it still warm. She soon noticed her hands felt frostbitten.

They lapsed into silence—or perhaps it was just Sponge who fell silent as she ate her bread.

"The town is kinda weird, no?" Sponge asked out of the blue, her mouth full. Vvh remained silent, stoking the fire once more. Sponge hoped she would take the bait and ask why.

She didn't.

Sponge sighed, scratching her head in disappointment.

"So, training tomorrow?" she asked, taking the last few bites of bread. Her stomach rumbled for more, but she ignored it, crumpling the paper bag and tossing it into the fire.

"No, you're going to the mines tomorrow. We'll need more than 500 gold," Vvh said, shaking her head as Sponge grumbled.

"So, personal slave, eh?" Sponge teased, and Vvh let out a small snort.

Sponge considered it a personal win.