#anyways as a reminder since this is set in ch1 nico is not out yet so everyone is still assuming they're a guy :(

[accirax]

💙❤️Blind Date or Die Episode 1, Starring Rose, Toshiko, Levi, Grace, Nico, Wolfgang, Teruko, and Jett!💙❤️

[wotzup]

CH 7 - Going back

They were heading to the Forest of Birds. Ruby's day was off to a not so great start. They might have not encountered any enemies yet but Ruby was struggling to understand her heart. It was just so confusing!

It all started that morning. Ruby fell of the bed flat on her face. She grimaced and turned on her back, and found a horrified Leah. "Why were you on my bed!?" she gave her a disgusted look. "You pulled me into your bed!" Ruby uncharacteristically raised her voice. Ruby was shocked to see herself like that. She never raised her voice at anyone before. "I did not!" "You did too while you were asleep. You were crying and asking for your onee chan, I gave you a hug and you pulled me in!" Ruby explained, sitting up looking right into Leah's cold purple eyes. Leah blushed. "I did not do that." Leah glared at Ruby. Surprisingly Ruby didn't even flinch. "Anyway I was worried about my sister who would most probably defeated the dragon before anyone else could. Can your sister do that?" Leah sneered.

Ruby felt something burn within her. It was fiery hot like a flame. It wasn't the flame she used to fight. It was anger. "No, but she is so strong that she could defeat a giant all my herself. Can your sister do that?" Ruby blurted and growled slightly shocking the other girl. Leah returned to her normal self before retorting, "No, but she can do a back flip. Can your' s" "No, but she can can play the koto and dance so good she could teach it." "How's that going to help?" "When it comes to lulling dragons to sleep and distracting the enemy it works." "What's wrong with you all of a sudden?" Leah gave Ruby a questioning look. "You were so timid yesterday." "Pigii" Ruby realized what she was saying all this time. 'I messed up... really bad. Ruby to your Rubesty to fix it!' "Y-you really love your sister." Ruby said trying to bring everything back to normal. "Yeah... I do. You seem to like your sister too."

Ruby nodded. With that silence took over the cottage. It was a awkward silence. The two stared at each other awkwardly. 'What do I do...' Ruby thought. At the time Rin and Hanayo had gone to bring the substitute ruler to the cottage. Well that's what Ruby thought. Actually they were standing outside watching the two fight with the substitute. "Reminds you of Maki chan and Nico chan doesn't it nya?" "Yes Rin chan just that they don't fight for everything." Hanayo replied. "Let's help them nya!" Rin said her eye sparking. "Rin chan we can't force them." Hanayo chided. "Aww... sorry Kayo chin." Rin said with guilt. "Rin chan don't feel sad. We can help them a bit later." "Yay!" Rin said excited. "I'll call Honoka chan to help."

The two entered the house with the substitute. Leah looked at them puzzled at the substitute and Ruby turned her head to their direction swiftly. "We're back with the sub nya!" Ruby and Leah gave them weird looks. "The substitute is a-" Leah was completed by Ruby, "Alpaca."

The two had varied opinions and expressions after a moment of silence. "So cute!" Ruby got up and hugged the alpaca who was standing beside Hanayo. "Ahhh, so soft..." Ruby said as she felt like she was going to melt into the white fluffy fur of the alpaca. "I know right!" Hanayo said petting the alpacas neck. Leah looked at the Alpaca wondering how was it going to rule the kingdom. 'Were those two crazy?'

"How is that going to rule the kingdom?" Leah pointed at the Alpaca. Hanayo gasped. "Don't underestimate him." Hanayo hugged the Alpaca on the other side. "H-hai." Leah raised her hands in surrender.

"Alright everyone let's go!" Rin said energetically and ran outside the door. "Ah Rin chan wait for up!" Hanayo said. "Be a good boy alright." Hanayo patted the alpaca before turning to them. "Both of you come fast." Hanayo said as she picked up her staff that was laying beside the door. Ruby released the alpaca, petted it, and picked up the bag that was on her bed that Hanayo packed for them. The bag was full of supplies and Ruby's broken quarterstaff hung from the inside. "C'mon Leah chan let's do our Rubesty." Ruby gave Leah a hand. 'Why did I say Leah chan?', Leah hummed in response and took her hand and jumped off the bed.

Ever since then Ruby felt her hand to be all tingly ever since then. Her heart was beating quickly too as she thought more of the occurrence. Her mind only swirled around Leah. She felt like a weirdo just thinking about one person. "We are almost there nya!" Rin pointed to a forest in the distance. The leaves were white in color dotted with brown ones. It looked different, no forest has white leaves and this one did. It was shimmering in the dying light of the sun as it set almost signalling the day was over. "Rin chan let's stop for sometime and eat." Hanayo clutched her growling stomach. "Okay nya!" Rin said happily and moved to the closest tree and sat there and patted on the grass, signalling them to sit down there.

The three sat down by Rin and Ruby pulled out all of the containers full of food from the bag. 'Rice and ramen again...' Ruby thought as she took a glance at the contents inside, not like she minded it thought. The rice Hanayo grew and happened to be the most tastiest rice Ruby had ever eaten. She would have considered the ramen to be as good as the rice if it weren't spicy. She remembered after Leah and her sent a wave of ice and fire respectively, they were worn out and Rin offered some ramen. Ruby gladly took it and ended up almost lighting the place in fire thanks to it being so hot for her tongue. She remembered Leah's surprised expression when she found out Ruby can't tolerate spicy food. She guessed that just because she was a pyromancer Leah thought that she would be able to bear spicy food.

They ate a bit. By that time the sun was almost down. "We should stop here." Hanayo said still holding her onigiri. "Why? We have to get to them quickly! If we waste time here then-"Leah was interrupted, "Leah chan I think Hanayo san has a point." Ruby remembered what Nozomi said to her squadron, including her, "You've have to be ready for trusting the locals of an area who are familiar with the place you are in even if you barely know them. They would know how the place is an help you from falling to your death." she remembered Nozomi gave Ruby a look that she could not comprehend at the time but now she understood what she meant by it. They had to trust Rin and Hanayo. Leah pouted and had an irritated expression. Leah really wanted to get back to her worrying sister. Ruby giggled at the cute expression Leah made leaving Leah puzzled.

"We should light a fire before it gets dark nya." Rin said, looking at the setting sun which colored the sky orange. They made a plan to split into two groups, Leah and Ruby in one and Rin and Hanayo in another. The set off in different directions to collect some wood to create a fire. Rin and Hanayo warned the two to be careful and be close to the area where they were camping. The took the warning seriously and began their search for firewood. They didn't talk much while searching except for occasional go over there or here. Everything went smoothly and they were going to back to the site with handfuls of firewood. "I'm thirsty." Ruby muttered. "I saw a stream on the way." Leah huffed as she hefted the heavy wood. "We can go there." Ruby said to which Leah hummed.

They walked in silence except for the trees shaking in the wind. It was calming silence. The only time they began talking was when they reached there. "Ah so cold." Ruby shivered as she touched the water. She still took a hand full and drank some. She raised her head after drinking to find Leah staring right at her. "Leah chan?" "Sorry I was just..." Leah turned her face away embarrassed. "It's fine." Ruby smiled. They then sat under a tree trying to regain some of their breath to lift the heavy wood back to the camp site.

"Leah chan what made you want to become a knight?" Ruby asked. "Once a squadron named A-RISE stopped by our village-" "Wait the A-RISE that used to be the best squadron till another one defeated it in battle?" Ruby's eyes shone in excitement. "Yes it's them." Leah uncharacteristically giggled which Ruby found cute. "I guess it's from then I wanted to be a knight." Leah smiled at the memory. "That's nice." "What about you?" Leah asked turning to Ruby. "I read about them in books. They seemed really cool and such great people." Ruby said with a soft smile. "Onee chan used to be a knight. She would tell me stories of her quests. It's from then I looked up to them." "For some reason I feel like I can talk to you about anything." Leah blurted leaving Ruby a bit shocked. No one had ever said that to her face. "I never felt like this but you seem dependable though you get scared so easily. I never talk to people much except for my sister. You're the next one I've talked too a lot." Leah continued before turning to her. "Leah chan I feel the same way. I can express more feelings of mine than usual." Ruby turned to Leah looking at her sweetly.

It was like two magnets. A north and south pole. A Ruby and an edgy Ruby were leaning in. Ruby had no clue what was going on except that they were so close to each other her heart was going to burst, her mind had shut down due to the proximity.

That's when they almost died. An arrow landed on the tree they were resting on barely missing their heads. Ruby squeaked and scuttled back while Leah was startled and rolled back, then on her feet, a ice ball already in her hand. Leah had no clue where the arrow came from. She scoured the area with their eyes and instead found another arrow coming her way. She dodged it, coming to Ruby's side, the arrow piercing the tree that was behind Leah.

Ruby got up on her feet and dragged Leah away from the area. They needed to get away from there or else they might die. Ruby had no clue where they were headed but all that Ruby thought was to get out of there. Leah was shouting lines of protest against Ruby but she didn't bother. The arrows were still being shot at them as they ran.

Leah who was being lead by Ruby told Ruby to stop. Leah had an idea. She had no clue if it would work but it was worth a shot. Leah stopped, turned around and shot a blast of ice. She had created a ice wall. She had stopped the arrows momentarily. "Let's go."

They ran, this time at a slower pace. The sun set, making it hard to see. "W-why were they trying to kill us?" Leah panted. "I-I don't know." Then again they almost died. This time a arrow which was aflame landed near Ruby making Ruby jump in fright. Then again they ran at full speed. "W-why do they want to kill us?" this time Leah asked a bit desperate. "I don't know!" Ruby squealed as another arrow landed beside her. "Ruby chan make a fire wall." Leah told her. "Eeeeh!?" "You heard me." "I can't!" "Your a pyromancer of course you can!" "But I can't!" "Why!?" "My powers go out of control without my weapon to control it!" Leah made a 'o' with her mouth before she realized something. "That's exactly what we need." Leah said. "If you can create a forest fire they won't follow us." "But I might hurt you in the process." "You won't. I'll run far away as fast as I can."

Ruby was scared. She already made a mess she was small thanks to her powers. She didn't want to hurt another person because of her. She didn't know what was it she felt for Leah but she knew she cared for her as much she did for her sister.

"A-alright." Ruby said uncertain. She turned around. Leah went ahead and picked up her pace. Ruby closed her eyes and began to burn what ever was in front of her. She could hear the leaves crackle as they burned and the bewildered shouts of those who attacked them as the fire grew. She opened her eyes to find everything in front of her was burning.

That's when Ruby ran, ran as fast as she could go to catch up to Leah. She needed to know if she was alright. She wasn't so far ahead standing watching Ruby coming towards her. "You did it." Leah patted Ruby on the back. "You're okay right?" "Still in one piece."

Ruby smiled. "Let's get out of here." Leah hummed in response. They had no clue where they were going nor did they know where Rin or Hanayo were but all they did have was each other which was fine.

"So this is the place they were staying in." Dia said, analyzing the building from up to down. "It's looks so cute!" Mari squealed. Dia sighed. "They should be inside here." "Ah Mari sama, Dia san what are you doing over here?" a voice from above called. "Ah Chikachi we heard the news!" Mari yelled at Chika who was peering outside from the window. Chika grinned, "I was so happy when we got that message that she was alive." Chika clasped her hands at her chest smiling happily. "Huh?" "What?"

Dia and Mari looked at Chika confused. "Ah I told Riko chan that the message wouldn't reach Uchiura in time but she forced me to write the report anyway." Chika told to which Riko retorted back and was hit by a book thrown by Riko which flew out of the window. "Hai hai Riko chan." Chika said to Riko, rubbing the area she was hit before turning to Mari and Dia who were examining the book. "I never imagined Riko to be interested in stuff like this..." Mari said as she flipped through the pages of the doujinshi. "Shameless!" Dia muttered under her breath.

"Anyway Ruby chan and Leah san are fine. We're going to save them!" Chika pumped her fists in the air. "I give you my approval to go on the quest, in one condition..." Mari said seriously. Chika leaned in in anticipation. "We're coming with you!" meanwhile Dia was wondering why did the name Leah seem so familiar. "Okay!" Chika gave her a thumbs up. In the process she fell from the open window and flat on the floor, the doujin in Dia's hand which was somehow in her way stopping her fall a bit and yet she hit the ground hard along with the doujin stuck to her face "Ugh, my face..." Chika groaned. Dia and Mari came to her side while the rest, surprised of the sound, rushed to the window. "Chikachi, you alright?" Mari asked, forgetting that she was supposed to be formal. "I'm fine." Chika grunted as she sat up. The doujin was stuck to her nose due to the cold. "What does se-" Chika was cut off by Riko who was trying to pull it off of her face. "Ah my face!" Chika trying to push Riko away from her. Meanwhile Sarah who had followed Riko stood outside, was standing by the door of the inn. "You again... what do you want?" Mari glared surprising everyone there. Mari was not like that.

"I'm here only to get my sister, Leah back." Sarah said giving a icy glare back at the angry blonde. Dia finally remembered it was one of the Ice sisters. The small quiet one. "When did you start to care? You didn't seem to care when you pushed Kanan down that cliff." "I didn't push her off her slipped when I blasted her with ice." "Mari san stop this immediately." Dia ordered trying to bring Mari back in line. "You are the reason why she isn't here anymore!"

"Stop this right now!" Chika yelled at the two the other two taking a few steps back,shocked. Chika had finally been freed from the doujin. Everything was quiet. Everyone was ready to hear what Chika had to say. "What are you trying to do? This isn't the time to fight with each other! Even if we hold grudges against them we have to push them aside. We need to work together to save the two. Please stop fighting." Chika stood between the two giving them a look. "I suppose so." "Alright."

The two shook hands on Chika's command surprising everyone. She was also able to convince them to call for a temporary truce. "C'mon Riko chan, Sarah san, let's get our stuff and go!" Chika said back to her normal self and waved at them to come inside.

Chika had no clue how it was going to go with two people who were going to fight till they drop but she was not going to stop trying till they found Ruby and Leah.