I just killed someone.
I know I forced myself to keep going, to keep fighting—but it didn't sit well. That awful feeling clung to me like a second skin, but I gritted my teeth and steeled my nerves.
Clenching my fists tightly, I lifted my shaky arms and bit down hard on my own flesh. The jolt of pain helped me forget the weight of my actions, if only for a moment.
I glanced up at Cid, who stood beside me. His blank eyes found mine as his hand rested on my back, rubbing it gently.
With an eerie calmness, he asked, "Are you sure you want to become the light within the shadows?"
"I'm certain," I responded immediately, my voice firm. "I need to survive in this world, and I'm not about to share it with scum."
His eyes flickered subtly before he closed them. When they opened again, they were as void of emotion as ever. But there it was—a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. He wasn't trying to hide it, either.
I noticed.
Slowly, I stood and steadied myself. What's the point of wallowing when there's someone I need to comfort? My gaze shifted to the little girl staring at us in shock.
She had bright yellow hair, tight curly bangs framing her cheeks, long strands cascading from her forehead, and flowing locks that reached her waist. Her wide, matching golden eyes were fixed on us. In them—I saw something unexpected.
Stars.
There was pure admiration in her eyes. A glint that reminded me of something from my past.
*PA!*
"Uh… why did you slap your forehead that hard?" Cid asked, deadpan. His eyes twitched slightly, just enough to betray his confusion. Naturally, the girl didn't seem to pick up on anything unusual.
I rubbed the spot I'd just smacked and let out a long sigh. How I got dragged into this mess, I'll never know. 'This has to be the day Rose was saved by Cid.'
The quiet sound of paper crinkling accompanied the shake of my head. I wasn't about to let him know what was going to happen next. Just in case fate decided to mess with me and screw canon over—I'd rather not risk getting more delusional than he already is.
Temporarily setting aside the sickening stench of blood, I approached the girl.
"You must be scared from everything that just happened," I said gently. "We saw the commotion and came to help you."
Rose stared up at me, locking eyes. I held her gaze. Not to sound dramatic, but this was my own test. A small way to temper my will. If I couldn't manage this, then maybe I really was a coward.
Eventually, Rose looked away. Maybe she felt the same fear I would've, had I not changed my mentality.
"Thank you... I thought I was going to..."
"It's alright now," I said, cutting in softly. "What matters is keeping you safe."
Cid followed up without missing a beat. "Where were you headed?"
...
Right. Empathy isn't really his strong suit. He's blunt—like a person suffering from a permanent case of eighth-grade syndrome.
He tilted his head toward me. "Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?"
I sweat-dropped internally. Note to self: don't look directly at him when I'm silently judging him. With a tired sigh, I replied, "Still thinking about that whole paper bag thing."
His eyes narrowed into amused crescents. "Yeah, no one could've predicted this. It's pretty rare."
I gave him a deadpan nod before returning my attention to Rose. She was blinking at our banter, clearly lost in the exchange. After shaking her head slightly, she spoke again.
"I was headed to the Midgar Kingdom… for a tea party. But I… I don't really know where that is…" she trailed off, lowering her gaze.
She didn't have a way to get there—much less return home. Her small frame trembled, mind likely racing as she thought about how to reach her parents. If only she were like the two of us... I could've done something more.
I frowned deeply, dread gnawing at my thoughts. 'Wait, did I forget her destination? Or maybe it wasn't mentioned in the anime? Or... damn it—did the plot change?'
That last possibility unsettled me. A lot was riding on this now, and cultivation wasn't exactly a fast-track method. Still, I shelved my panic and decided to help.
"Alright. Just keep going in that direction," I pointed. "We'll guide you along the way, sound good?"
The princess of Oriana gave a small, adorable nod. It took me a second to process how cute she looked—but that was it. Shaking off any urge to pinch her cheeks, I took the lead.
Cid trailed behind before pausing mid-step. "We haven't introduced ourselves, have we?" Seeing her nod, he added, "I am the Stylish Bandit Slayer. You can guess my occupation from the name alone."
I rolled my eyes. Of course he was still going with that name. I never advised him to use Shadow either, mostly because—
"Pfft." Yeah, it's funny watching him commit to that cringe.
Still, I had to think of something fitting. Something lame… totally original…
"My name is Cliché."
There was a beat of silence. Everyone looked at me like I'd grown two heads.
"Damn," I muttered blankly. "I really over did it with that one."
To be honest, I'd expected different reactions. I thought they'd laugh or at least look at me like I was nuts—that would've made it more satisfying to prove them wrong later. Cid? He's immune. But Rose?
She kept repeating the name. Alternating between "Stylish" and "Cliché."
I barely resisted the urge to facepalm. "Let's just get you back…"
I couldn't watch them get hyped over my terrible naming decisions.
"What's your name?" I asked the girl, breaking her trance.
"My name is Rose. Please take care of me."
...
As we walked for a while, my senses remained alert. The memory of that first kill kept playing back, flickering behind my eyes. He deserved worse. I told myself that over and over. Just because I wasn't used to killing didn't mean I'd let a bastard like that live.
I felt a tug on my sleeve, snapping me out of it. Rose looked up at me, uncertainty swimming in her golden eyes.
"Can you guys teach me the way of the sword?" she asked, giving a polite, practiced bow.
"No need for such formalities, Rose," Cid responded first. "But you won't be able to reach us from Oriana."
Her cheerful face deflated instantly. My brow twitched.
Honestly, teaching Rose would be risky. But she was a future member of Shadow Garden. In the anime, she went through hell. I started wondering—what if I taught her early? Would it change anything?
Maybe. Maybe not.
I pulled out my journal on cultivation and jotted down my latest findings—The Body Refining Realm.
Crossing my heart, I tore the page out and handed it to her.
"Don't you dare use what I'm giving you for evil," I warned, shooting her a sharp glare to hammer the message in.
She stood straight and saluted like a soldier.
I chuckled, and she loosened up.
"Alright then. I trust you. If you ever get stuck, find me in Midgar," I said, turning away. "Look for someone with the name... First Star."